Gilded
by Chinglingabell
Summary: When the scheme of an enigmatic witch is discovered, an unusual alliance between several incarnations of Link and the demon lord Ghirahim forms to stop her. In a time of war, unexpected bonds of friendship are created. This story is based on the theory that Ghirahim is the Gilded Sword and is loosely based on Hyrule Warrior's plot.
1. Chapter 1

Ghirahim hadn't expected this. Any of this, really. Quite frankly, though he was loathe to admit it, he had been fairly certain that he was dead. That damnable sky child was simply too strong, stronger than his master even, all thanks to the hateful power the golden goddesses had bestowed upon him. He had been strong before that had happened; Ghirahim had fought him back when he was just an ordinary boy, but back then the sky child had barely been able to fend him off. For that brat to be the one to kill him… humiliating.

But he wasn't dead. He was very much alive, and he was staring down into the eyes of the brat who had almost killed him.

"Link!" A tiny, shrill voice screeched. Ghirahim's eyes snapped towards the sound, finding its source was an angry little yellow fairy, bobbing around behind the boy's head. "What is this?! Who is this?! What did you DO!?"

The boy simply shrugged. "I didn't think the spell would do that."

"You… you performed a magic spell you found on an ancient cavern wall… and you didn't even know what it would do?!"

What on earth was happening? Were they ignoring him? Why wasn't the sky child cowering in fear, knowing he had released his mortal foe from the brink of death without meaning to?

"Aw, come on Tatl!" The boy huffed. "You can't figure out what a spell does unless you try it first!"

"Are you trying to tell me it didn't come with instructions?" The now red fairy demanded.

"…Well, there might have been…some…" The boy ducked his head and shuffled his feet, looking abashed.

He couldn't believe it. They were ignoring him. _Him._

"You…! What if it had brought down the moon again, huh?! Or summoned those monsters from the sky that attack the ranch sometimes?! Or turned you into a frog-" The boy giggled at that. "Stop laughing! It's not funny! You could have summoned a monster-"

Ghirahim decided that this was the opportune moment to voice his discontent and shot out his hand, snagging the snarling fairy from the air.

"AAAAAHHH! MONSTER! LEMME GO!"

"Stop making sounds at once!" Ghirahim commanded. He turned to glower at the sky child. "Well, sky child, I am hurt. We finally reunite and you don't even have the decency to scream in fear upon looking at my beautiful visage once more?" The boy's eyes widened, and Ghirahim smiled. Here it comes, the rant, the furious tears, the begging for mercy-

"I'm really sorry, but… I don't actually know you."

…What.

"Well, I mean, I kind of do. You came out of my sword." The boy pointed, and Ghirahim turned stunned eyes to see a gleaming, diamond patterned sword on the ground near him. "But I had no idea you were in there. I've had this sword since I was a kid, so I wasn't really expecting someone to pop out of it, you know?"

Ghirahim had stopped listening to the boy and was instead staring intently at his face. Now that he was really looking, the boy was smaller than the sky child - much smaller, in fact. He wasn't an expert on human physiology, but he was fairly certain that this was an _actual _child, and not in the degrading sense that he had used to nickname the sky child for his naivety. Could the sky child have actually bred? Was this tiny doppelganger his spawn?

"Um, did you hear me?" Ghirahim snapped out of his thoughts.

"Hm? You say something, little one?" He sneered. Yes, little one. That was a good name for the tiny sky child spawn. He mentally patted himself on the back.

"Can you let Tatl go? I think you're squishing her." The boy pointed at his hand, still holding the seething, struggling fairy.

Ghirahim thought about this for a moment. If the little one was truly the sky child's brat, than there was a good reason to believe that his beloved master, Demise, was indeed dead. And if that was the case, what exactly should he do from this point on? His eyes flicked to the sword that lay beside him. Technically, the brat was his new master if he wielded the blade that he resided in. Perhaps he should play along and use the brat to get to the sky child for revenge? Oh, that would be fun…

"Of course, little master." Ghirahim bowed, a little too deeply to be earnest. "Your wish is my command." He let go of the fairy, who zipped into the little one's hat for protection, all the while snarling curses at him. The little one beamed at him.

"Thanks, Mr. Sword-"

"Do not call me that." Ghirahim cut him off abruptly. "My name is Ghirahim, little one. Do not ever forget that name."

The boy seemed completely unfazed by his sudden shift in attitude and simply nodded, picking up his sword (which looked far too big for him) and sheathing it behind his back. Ghirahim was a little disappointed. He had assumed that human children would be easy to cow, considering their fragility. He had no prior experience with children, of course, but something seemed off about this boy.

It mattered not. Soon he'd have his revenge, and after that… well, one step at a time.

.

.

.

Something was happening, Skull Kid had no doubt about that. The barrier between worlds and time had thinned, and something was moving behind them. He had already warned his best friend, Link, the boy who had saved him from that mean mask, but he was starting to think there was no need.

"I don't think it's coming here." Skull Kid said decisively. The violet fairy nestled in the warmth of his hat stirred.

"What isn't coming here, Skull Kid?" Tale asked sleepily. Without his older sister to boss him around, the little fairy had stayed up far past his bedtime.

"The evil. I think it only cares about Hyrule." Skull Kid stretched happily. "That's good, looks like Link won't have any work to do after all, tee hee!"

"Aw, come on Skull Kid." Tale chastised. "You know even if it doesn't affect us Link will still want to help."

Skull Kid looked a bit sulky. "But then Link won't be able to play with us…"

"That's ok! We'll just come up with a bunch of really fun games to play when he comes back! And we can draw him pictures! You know he loves our pictures!"

Skull Kid nodded eagerly. "Drawing is fun!" he cheered. "I'm going to draw Link with all of the heroes he's going to meet!'

"Heroes?" Tale was confused. "What do you mean by that?"

"Link isn't the only hero fighting the evil! So when he kills it, we'll have lots and lots of new friends! Where's the green crayon?"


	2. Chapter 2

The people of Clocktown were very accustomed to odd sights. Jugglers in the streets, masked children, dancers, _Tingle_… Not to mention Link, the boy who had appeared from nowhere and saved the world in only three days with his sword that looked far too big for a boy of his age, a talking fairy, and a huge collection of mysterious masks rivaled only by the Happy Mask Salesman. At this point, nobody here even blinked at oddities anymore, which is why not a single person gave Ghirahim a second look as he strolled into town at Link's heels.

Ghirahim honestly didn't know if he should be pleased or offended. On the one hand, this would make everything much easier if he didn't have to sneak about like some thug to avoid causing panic like he had to normally. On the other hand… how DARE they not stare at him! He was magnificent! The incarnation of power and malevolence and beauty! How could they not-

"We're here!" The little one chirped, _rudely _cutting off his train of thought. Ghirahim gave the boy a glare that would have made a Shield Moblin cower, but the boy blatantly ignored it and continued talking. "This is the Stock Pot Inn. The owners are my friends, so be nice to them, ok?" Ghirahim rolled his eyes but nodded. He had no time to waste in killing _innkeepers_ anyways. "One more thing." The little one's voice had turned serious. "Whatever you do, don't eat Anju's cooking."

With that, the little one had pushed open the door to the inn and headed inside. Ghirahim followed, wondering what the boy had meant by that.

"Link!" A pleasant voice called from upstairs. "Is that you?"

"Hi Anju! I'm back!" the little one sang, plopping down on one of the soft couches near the reception desk and patting the place next to him, looking expectantly at Ghirahim. The demon lord wanted to refuse just out of spite, but he didn't want to seem petty so he reluctantly sat down as well.

The sounds of bustling came from the stairs, and they were greeted by who Ghirahim presumed was Anju.

"I'm so glad to see you again, dear!" She greeted Link warmly, giving him a big hug. She wasn't a bad looking woman, but a bit ordinary. Ghirahim decided she wasn't _too_ bothersome and inclined his head. She did the same, smiling. "A pleasure to meet you, sir. Any friend of Link's is welcome here. May I ask your name so I can write it in the guest log?"

Fighting down the urge to tell her it was Zelda or something equally ludicrous, he forced a smile. "My name is Ghirahim, miss. Your inn is very… ah… charming."

She beamed, clearly missing the sarcasm in his words. Were all of this town's residents so damnably oblivious to the subtlety of word play?! "We have a two bed single bedroom available. Will that be alright?"

"Yep!" Link handed her a fistful of rupees. "Thanks Anju!" he hesitated for a second. "Is Kafei here?"

"He's out at the laundry pool. He'll be home soon enough to make dinner." Anju told him. The little one looked relieved and quickly excused them.

"What on earth has you so terrified of that woman's cooking?" Ghirahim asked once they reached their room, genuinely curious. "Does she lace all of her dishes with Deku Baba poison?"

Link shook his head. "No, Anju's cooking is technically ok. It's just how she serves it that's a problem." Seeing Ghirahim's slowly raising eyebrow, he elaborated further. "She can't really tell what foods go with each other, you know? Like, she serves sushi with eggnog, or coffee and jalapeños, or sandwiches with gravy and powdered sugar, or-"

"That's quite enough, I get the picture." Ghirahim interjected, stomach turning.

Link glanced out of their bedroom window. "It's late…" He murmured. He pulled his hat off of his head and shook it a little. "Wake up, Tatl! Your brother is probably worried about you!" The fairy in his hat stirred.

"Oh shoot, I fell asleep…" Tatl groaned. "You're right, I should get going." She fluttered over to Ghirahim. "Hey, you. If you decide to go with Link on his journey, look after him okay? He might be way stronger than he looks, but he is still just a kid."

"Beg pardon? Journey?" Ghirahim asked, befuddled. The fairy yawned.

"Ugh, yeah, journey. Look, talk to Link about it, I'm way too tired for this. Later." She flew to the window. "OW!" She had smacked against the closed glass. "Stupid thing! Link, help me!" Link was already opening the window for her. "Later for real." She zipped out into the night air. The little one closed it quickly to not let the cold air in.

"Journey?" Ghirahim repeated himself (he _hated _repeating himself) watching the little one hop up on his bed and swing his feet. He sat down on the bed across from him. "And why on earth would you presume I'd want to go with you?"

Link shrugged his small shoulders. "Well, you've come with me this far. Also, I'd hate to give up my Gilded Sword. I have magic and enchanted masks that let me take on other forms, but I just feel safer with a sword. Since you're attached to it, I can't take it with me if you want to stay here."

Ghirahim let out a frustrated groan. "This isn't as easy as I thought it would be. I was going to draw this out for longer but it seems I'm going to have to cut to the chase. I only want one thing. Now let me ask you very clearly, little one. _Where is your father?_"

The little one stared at him. "My father?"

Ghirahim stood up. His patience was gone. "Yes! Your father! The sky child with the same name as you! The one who killed my dearest master Demise! WHERE IS HE?!" His face was now inches from the boy's, and he was once again enraged at the fact that Link hadn't even flinched when he raised his voice. He had made much greater men and women than this cringe. What on earth was wrong with this boy?! Link was staring at him with a careful expression on his face, clearly thinking very hard about what he was about to say.

"My father… wasn't named Link." He finally said very quietly.

…What?

"My father wasn't from the sky, and he never fought anyone named Demise. My father was an ordinary, albeit high ranking soldier who died in a war before I was born. The one you call sky child… I'm his reincarnation. I've heard stories about him. I don't know much but… I do know he died thousands of years ago."

Ghirahim felt like he had been punched in the gut. He slowly backed away from the boy and sat down on the bed again.

The sky child was dead.

He didn't know what he was feeling. Rage? Sorrow? Perhaps both. The sky child had been his hateful enemy, but he had also been the most worthy adversary he'd ever had. And, upon being reawakened, revenge had been the only thing keeping him moving. What did he have to live for now that his beloved master _and_ his foolish sky child were dead?

The little one was watching him with what suddenly seemed to be eyes that were far too old for the young face they were set in. Apparently understanding that Ghirahim had nothing to say, he started talking again.

"This land is called Termina. It's an alternate dimension of Hyrule. Hyrule is where you're from, although during your time it didn't have a name. Think of Termina as Hyrule's reflection in a warped mirror. It's similar to Hyrule, but it's also completely different. The Triforce doesn't exist here, and neither does the cycle of rebirth of the bearers of power, wisdom, and courage. The stories say that your master, Demise, is the one who cursed us with this cycle, but it happened so long ago I'm not really sure if that's true.

There's something bad happening to Hyrule. Time is messed up, and the barriers between dimensions is getting too thin. According to one of my friends, the Time Witch is responsible. I'm not sure who that is exactly, but apparently she watches over the balance of the Triforce or something like that. I also don't know what she's after. The journey Tatl was talking about was this. I'm planning on returning to the dimension I left when I came to Termina and trying to find out more about the Time Witch. If I can find out what she's after, it'll be easier to stop her. Hyrule isn't my home anymore, Termina is, but I'm not about to turn my back on them. Besides-" He stretched, popping his back. "Ow, that hurt… but yeah, besides, I'm the Hero of Time! This Time Witch is messing with my turf!" His smile faded as he looked back at Ghriahim. "I know what it's like to wake up one day and realize everyone you ever knew is dead and gone. And I know you probably don't like me much because I look like the guy who killed your master. I get it. Just think about coming with me, okay? It'd take your mind off of it."

There was a long silence. Ghirahim was staring at his hands. He really wished his brain would start running at normal capacity again, but it seemed insistent on repeating things he already knew and that wouldn't solve his predicament. Demise is dead. The sky child is dead. This isn't his world. The worst thing about it was that the little one was looking at him with pity. How abhorrent.

"Link, sweetie! Ghirahim! Kafei finished making dinner! Come down when you're ready, ok?" Anju's chipper voice shouldn't have startled Ghirahim as much as it did. He glowered at the door as if it was her fault.

"Come on, some dinner will make you feel better." Link said, hopping off the bed.

"I feel fine!" Ghirahim snarled at him. The little one beamed.

"That's the spirit!" Link said encouragingly.

_Is his brain broken?!_

Muttering under his breath. Ghirahim followed Link downstairs. He hated to admit it to himself, but the smell drifting from the dining room was indeed mouthwatering.

"Have a seat!" Anju said, laying out some silverware. "You two are our only guests tonight, so we have extra food!"

Link happily plopped down in the nearest chair, and Ghirahim slid into the one next to him, resting his elbows on the table and his head in his palms. Anju sat down across from them.

"How was your trip to Ikana Valley, Link?" She asked. The little one looked a bit embarrassed.

"Well, I got in trouble with Tatl because I tried a spell without reading what it did first… but I also met Ghirahim, so I guess it was good!"

"You never learn, do you?" A new voice sighed from the kitchen. A young man with deep purple hair and red eyes – _a servant of the goddess? _– stepped around the corner, holding a steaming pot of delicious smelling stew. "I know better than anyone how talented you are Link, but that was very dangerous." The man, Kafei as Ghirahim recalled, set the pot on the table. "Anju, would you mind grabbing the other things?"

"Not at all!" She hopped up from her chair as Kafei started ladling soup into the bowls.

_How interesting. _Ghirahim thought. Anju, while pleasant enough, was fairly ordinary. It struck him as odd that her husband would be so exotically striking. The purple hue of his hair was especially nice. Ghirahim had a soft spot for the color purple. Unfortunately it didn't look very good on him, washing him out and making him look gaunt.

Link looked a little sulky from being chastised, but Kafei smiled warmly at him, handing him a bowl. "Every time we make a mistake, we learn from it. As long as you use this experience to grow, you'll only become a better person because of it." This seemed to cheer up Link significantly, and he dug in to his food with relish.

Ghirahim accepted his own bowl and carefully sampled the food. Human food didn't always sit well with him, but this was actually more than acceptable.

Anju had returned with the side dishes, and they all helped themselves. It was an odd scene; an ordinary redhead, an exotic looking man, a demon lord in diamond patterned tights, and a tiny hero all sharing a meal together, but it was oddly comforting to Girahim. Perhaps it was that nobody commented on his odd attire or asked where he was from or what he intended to do, but this moment laid him at ease, and he was now calm enough to make a decision about the little one's proposal.

He would accompany his new master. For now.


	3. Chapter 3

When the odd pair set out for their journey the next morning, Ghirahim was understandably confused when Link started heading for the large clock tower in the middle of town.

"I thought," he sighed impatiently, "we were going on a 'journey'? To do that we need to leave town, do we not, little one?"

Link turned and smiled over his shoulder at Ghirahim. "Sorry, this must seem weird, huh? We aren't trying to get to another place in Termina, we're trying to get to another world. People who are really skilled with this kind of magic, like my friend Skull Kid, could theoretically use it anywhere, but this is my first time sending my whole body somewhere, so I need to go where the barrier between dimensions is thin. Which is-" He pushed open the door to the clock tower- "here!"

"First time with your whole body? What exactly does that mean?" Ghirahim asked while looking around the clock tower interior. It was much bigger on the inside than it looked on the outside.

Link scuffed his shoes against the ground. "Well, I don't know if this was the right thing to do or not, but when I first decided to stay in Termina instead of going back to Hyrule I felt kind of guilty. I had already fulfilled my destiny there and all that, but it still felt like I was running away. To make myself feel better I sent my spirit to train the new hero in swordplay."

Ghirahim smirked. "That's cheating."

Link huffed. "It was not! I mean, the new hero was really strong and all, but he was a ranch hand! The only sword he had ever used was a wooden one! He wouldn't have lasted a second against a darknut!" Link sighed. "It wasn't until later that I learned that the Zelda I had known had actually split time by sending me back to my childhood after my adventure, and that there were actually several other worlds that I didn't get a chance to help… Like my original world…"

Links face clouded over, and Ghirahim didn't have to ask why. No doubt the little one's home had met some sort of apocalyptic end with no hero to protect it. He quickly intervened, not wanting to have to console a crying human child. "So, what manner of ritual is needed to travel between worlds? I am quite proficient at magic myself, perhaps it would be beneficial for me to learn the spell as well."

The distraction worked, and Link nodded. "I'm not really good at explaining magic, so just watch carefully and I'm sure you'll get the gist of it." He closed his eyes, apparently concentrating hard. Suddenly Ghirahim felt as if the world was falling from his feet. Symbols flashed before his eyes, and he ingrained them in his memory, although he doubted he actually could perform this spell. He was incredibly gifted in the arcane arts, but the little one seemed to have an understanding of the way time and space worked that surpassed his knowledge. Of course, Ghirahim assured himself, he was much better than Link at everything else relating to magic. Could the little one bend a guardian statue of the goddess against its will, or summon a massive horde of undead bokoblins, or a massive horde of _live _bokoblins, or-

SLAM.

Ghirahim swore loudly and struggled to stand, his shoulder numb from striking the earth so hard. Massaging it, he glanced around for his little master and let out a loud laugh when he sighted the boy partially lodged in what looked like a canon.

"Don't laugh at me!" Link wailed, looking much like a disgruntled remlit. "Get me out!"

Ghirahim snapped his fingers, disappearing and reappearing on the canon and looking down at Link with a wide smirk. "Manners, little one." He cooed. "What do we say?"

Link scowled. "_Please _get me out. Meanie."

"Oh, so close, little one! One more try, what do we say?" Ghirahim was enjoying this. The little one, so unflappable when it came to fear, apparently had little restraint when it came to anger, as shown by his remlit-like glower.

"We say go shove a-"

"What on earth? What are you two doing on my canon?!"

Link and Ghirahim blinked at each other before looking down. A clown in a pink belly shirt and heart patterned pants was gaping up at them.

"Are you two fellas delinquents?! Are you trying to steal free canon rides?! Well that won't work, fellas! Not as long as my name is Fyer, which it is!" Fyer crossed his arms and adopted what he clearly believed to be a stern expression.

Ghirahim's lip curled. "Wretched little…" He was about to summon a dagger and hurl it into the fat man's throat when Link's hand grabbed his arm.

"Don't!" Link hissed. "The last thing we want is to become criminals here! We need to blend in to find out what's going on, and murdering a clown isn't going to help with that!"

Ghirahim reluctantly lowered his arm. The little one was right, this would only make things harder in the long run. Ghirahim wrapped his arm around Link, easily hoisting the boy out of the canon. He leapt down, landing right in front of Fyer, causing the clown to stumble backwards in surprise.

"My apologies." He said smoothly and insincerely. "It was an accident. I assure you it won't happen again." He spun on his heel, Link dangling in his arms, and started to walk away.

"Well where on earth are you fellas goin'?" Fyer sounded bewildered. Ghirahim turned, giving the clown a look that could kill.

"Im. Leaving." He bit out. Link squirmed in his arms, and he realized he had been crushing the boy in his anger. He loosened his grip obligingly.

"We need to get to Hyrule Castle!" Link chimed in.

"Ha, you fellas must be new around here, eh? You need to take the canon if you want to get out of the lake basin!" Fyer chortled. Ghirahim gaped.

"What?! What kind of asinine…" He shook his head. "Never mind. Where would I land?"

Fyer pointed at a platform high above the basin. "You fellas'd land all the way up there! Your kid'll love it! He doesn't look much like you, does he? Come to think of it, he more looks like that scowly hero fella, doesn't he? Even has the green clothes! Different hair though. Hey, are you the hero's kid?" He peered at Link through droopy eyes. Ghirahim glared.

"That's quite enough. Since you pointed out the landing position I can do the rest on my own." He irritably snapped his fingers, reappearing far above the lake on the overlook Fyer had pointed out… which was filled with cuccos. "I hate it here." Ghirahim said decidedly.

"It's not that bad!" Link protested. "I've been here a whole bunch in spirit, and I never saw anything weird. I'm sure it's a coincidence."

"Why helloooo there, partner!" A crazy-eyed clown danced in. "Just twenty rupees and you can find the treasure of your dreams! Just grab a cucco, jump off the edge, and-"

Ghirahim stormed past the clown and slammed the door of the overlook. "I think I am now completely justified in hating it here."

"You are not! We've only been here for five minutes! We've only met two people! You can't judge a population with such a small sample size!"

"Such jargon. Are you a scientist, little one?" Ghirahim was now briskly walking in what he hoped was the right direction to Hyrule Castle. There was a bridge this way, so surely it led to somewhere.

"No, but I know a few. Astronomers are scientists, right? Hey, can you put me down now? You hold me like I'm luggage or something."

Ghirahim smirked at him. "Can those miniature legs even keep up at this pace?"

"I could outrun you without breaking a sweat." Link said seriously. Ghirahim blinked, surprised. "…If I wore my enchanted bunny hood."

"Cheating again, are we?" Ghirahim hummed, setting Link on his feet.

Little did the pair know as they headed towards the magnificent bridge stretching over the lake, they were headed in the exact opposite direction of their intended destination.

.

.

.

Ghirahim was silently fuming. They had been walking for hours, and there was no castle in sight. He knew he should have asked that damn clown for directions, but the man's face had made him feel sick to his stomach. As long as he acted calm and continued walking with an assured gait, he was certain that the little one wouldn't catch on to the fact that they were desperately lost.

"We're lost, aren't we?"

Ghirahim whirled around, glowering at the little one who stared unflinchingly at him. "Well then, why don't you take the lead, little one?! You've been here before, have you not? Surely you didn't just wander until you landed in your protégé's lap?!"

Link coughed. "Actually, that's exactly what happened. He would find me, not the other way around. One time I wound up in the middle of the desert. It was really scary."

Ghirahim threw his hands in the air. "Goddesses! Do you always act with such reckless inhibition? It seems to me you had no plan at all, asides from passing your knowledge on. If you had gotten your spirit killed, what would it have mattered?"

Link grinned cheekily. "Well, I didn't get killed, so I guess it worked out great, huh?" Ghirahim opened his mouth to reprimand him, but he saw Link's eyes widen as he peered over Ghirahim's shoulder. Ghirahim turned to see a horse-drawn carriage and some figures approaching.

"Try to be nice!" Link hissed at Ghirahim, who glared.

"Little one, it is _integral _to always be yourself, and I am not _nice._"

"Well, hello there!" A blonde man with a mustache leading the party called. "It isn't often we see other travelers."

"Ask for directions!" Link whispered.

"I will not! I don't need directions, we are not lost!" Ghirahim growled back. "If you want directions so badly, you ask!"

"It'd be weird if I asked! I'm a kid!"

The pair was so embroiled in their argument that they didn't notice that the carriage and its guards had come closer.

"Dad! That boy looks just like Link!" A blonde boy with a wooden sword cried.

"Goddesses… you're right." The mustached man looked astounded. "Who are you, son? Are you related to Link?"

"O-oh, I… um…" Link glanced at Ghirahim.

_Idiotic child. You didn't even come up with a cover story, did you? Do you EVER think things through? _Ghirahim adopted a pleasant expression. "You mean the hero of this land? Oh, goodness no. We come from far away, and in our town it is tradition to garb children in these clothes when they come of age. I assure you, you aren't the first person to make this mistake!" He laughed, trying hard to sound friendly and not mocking. It worked to some degree. The children and the young woman in the carriage nodded as though this made sense, but the mustached man looked wary as he eyed Link and then Ghirahim.

"I see. Well, I'm Rusl. This is my son, Colin. The young lady driving the carriage is Ilia. The two boys in the back are Talo and Malo, and the girl is Beth. You two are?"

Ghirahim bowed. "The name is Ghirahim. This little ones name is-"

"Mido." Link quickly cut in. "My name is Mido." He flashed an adorable grin. "Hi!"

"Oh, he's precious!" The young woman Ilia cooed. "Hi sweetheart!"

"He has a sword! A real one! Why can't I have a sword, Rusl?!" Talo whined.

"Because the last time you were allowed a weapon, you were kidnapped. Also, Mother would kill Rusl if he let you." Malo muttered, barely loud enough to be heard.

"Where are you guys going?" Colin asked Link.

"Hyrule Castle. But Ghirahim got lost." Link replied. Ghirahim shot him a venomous look. Rusl looked concerned.

"What for, may I ask?" His eyes flicked, mistrusting, towards Ghirahim.

"We have some information that will be very useful. It's a bit sensitive, so we shouldn't discuss it here." Ghirahim said smoothly.

Rusl looked thoughtful. "Well, due to the recent monster outbreak, I'm escorting these children to Kakariko Village so they'll be protected by the Gorons. After that I intend to head back to Hyrule Castle Town to meet with some associates of mine. If you wish, you may accompany me."

Ghirahim most certainly did not want that. The man's eyes were too sharp for his liking. Rusl wasn't fooled by his and the little one's charade of normalcy. However, Ghirahim really didn't want to wander this damned field listening to the little one make snide comments about how if he had accepted the offer, they could've been at Hyrule Castle already. "Very well, it seems that would be in our best interest." Ghirahim said with a forced smile. Rusl didn't smile back, just nodded, staring hard into Ghirahim's eyes.

They began walking again, this time trailing behind the caravan. Link was quite fascinating to the other children, who began assailing him with questions.

"So, like, what kind of clothes do the people from where you're from wear, Mido?" Beth asked eagerly.

"Um, a lot of silk stuff with fancy patterns. Usually bright colors or white." Beth looked enthralled.

"So exotic and cool! Do they all dress like your dad?" To Ghirahim's horror, she fluttered her eyelashes at him.

"No, Ghirahim has his own tastes. Also, he's not my-"

"Can you really use that sword? Have you fought monsters? Can I borrow it?" Talo cut in.

"Yes, yes, and no. Sorry." Link grinned. "I don't want your mom to kill me." Talo groaned.

"So you're an adventurer, then. Well, perhaps I can interest you in Malo Mart's patented Magic Armor, now on sale for 450 rupees. Protect yourself with your wallet and buy today!" Malo mumbled.

Ghirahim groaned. He really hated it here.

It felt like hours before they finally reached Kakariko Village. Ghirahim glanced around, distasteful of the dusty landscape. Link stood close to his side, looking tired. "I told you to ride in the carriage, little one." Ghirahim murmured.

"I'm not tired because of walking, I'm tired from answering questions for the whole day without giving away my identity." Link whispered back. "They're worse than the Termina guards."

As they were having this exchange, Rusl had been greeting a tall, dark skinned man and a girl who looked to be his daughter. The man turned to look at Link and Ghirahim, and his eyes widened. He approached them and bowed politely.

"I am pleased to welcome you to our village. My name is Renado, and this is my daughter Luda. I must say, you bear a striking resemblance to the hero who saved this land, young man." He looked Link over carefully.

"I get that a lot." Link smiled, but it wasn't a confident one. Clearly the man's keen gaze made him uncomfortable about lying. Ghirahim was about to intervene to take the focus off of the little one, but Renado had turned towards him without any prompting.

"I take it you are a sorcerer or a magic being of some sort?" He asked. Ghirahim, thrown by this, faltered. Renado did not give him a chance to concoct a lie. "I am a shaman. I can tell when something is not what it seems. However, you seem peaceful, so I have no reason to mistrust you simply for not being human."

Ghirahim, aware that the others were all listening in, adopted what he truly hoped would appear to be a sad, contrite expression. "Forgive me for not being forthright. In our land, there are not many who would be so hospitable to a being such as I. I am a spirit who was asked by this boy's guardian to protect and guide him on his journey." It was technically true. Tatl had asked him to accompany the little one, and she was something like a guardian to him.

Renado finally smiled, and Ghirahim watched from the corner of his eye as the tension noticeably drained from Rusl, who had been listening intently to their conversation. "I see. I do not blame you for wanting to keep your secrets, and I'm sorry to have pressed you, but I was worried for the child." Renado glanced at Link, who appeared to be half asleep despite standing up.

Rusl looked up at the sky. "It's late, and Mido is tired. We should rest for the night here at the inn. We can head out to Hyrule Castle in the morning."

Ghirahim wanted to protest, but the little one really did look tired, and he didn't want to carry the boy all the way there. "Very well, lead the way." He said, hoisting the sleepy child into his arms and following Rusl.

"So cute!" He heard Luda coo.

"Right?! He's like Mido's daddy!" Beth chimed in. "Men with children are sooo attractive!"

He was very much looking forward to leaving this dusty, nosy village.


	4. Chapter 4

"So," Ghirahim began as he ran his finger over the table in their room, eyes narrowing at the liberal coating of dust, "why the name 'Mido'?"

"Hm?" Link glanced up, one boot half off. "Why can't it just be a random name I picked?"

Ghirahim rolled his eyes. "Because from what I've seen, little one, you're an abysmal liar. You picked that name deliberately for situations like this. Why?"

Link grinned. "You caught me. Mido is the name of someone I knew from back home."

Ghirahim had turned to look at his borrowed bed, glowering at the threadbare sheets. The Stock Pot Inn hadn't exactly been ideal, but looking at this dump he found himself dearly missing it. "Is that so? A friend of yours, then."

"Nope." Link smiled a nostalgic smile. "I hated him."

Ghirahim paused in his attempt to will a decent bed into existence to raise an eyebrow. "Little one, why is it that despite obviously being a human pup you insist on acting so much older than you are at times like this?"

Link threw himself down on his own dusty bed, making Ghirahim cringe. Did the child have no common sense? "Well, I really am a kid, but I'm technically older than I look. Not sure how much older, though. Back when I saved Hyrule, I would hop between my time and 7 years into the future so often I lost track of how old I was. And when I first arrived in Termina, it was stuck in a time loop that reset every three days. I tried to keep track of how many loops I'd been through, but I lost count pretty quickly. If I had to guess I'd say I'm probably about 14 or 15 even though my body is only about 10. But really, who knows." He peered at Ghirahim. "How old are you?"

Ghirahim chuckled, appreciative of the distraction from the current dire living conditions he was forced to endure. "Little one, time matters not to a being such as I. I am a demon lord and a sword spirit. I formed this way when I was born and I will have this shape until I cease to exist. Considering the divinity of my appearance, I'd say that this is quite fortunate, wouldn't you agree?"

Link shrugged. "I guess. I don't know much about that kind of thing."

Ghirahim sighed. He unexpectedly found himself missing the sky child, remembering fondly how flustered the boy would get whenever Ghirahim began preening around him. Link, obviously noticing his disappointment, added, "The diamond pattern look is cool though!"

"You don't need to placate me, little one." Ghirahim's lips twisted upward a bit. "I'm assuming your mental age is why everyone who knows you has such faith if your abilities, correct?"

Link nodded. "Yep. I retained my skills from when I saved Hyrule, and I had an unlimited amount of time to train in Termina." A thoughtful look crossed his face. "So, if you have to ask me all these questions, I'm guessing you weren't conscious when you were in my sword?"

Ghirahim tentatively sat down on his bed. Hard as a rock. It seemed he'd get no sleep tonight. "I'm afraid not. The last thing I remember was being killed by your predecessor."

Link perked up at that. "Really? What was he like?"

Ghirahim snorted. "If you're expecting a man of grandeur, you'll be disappointed. The boy was an utter airhead. Fitting, considering his home was in the sky. He was naïve, he was easy to startle, and he was an _abysmal _harp player."

Link let out a giggle. "All the legends say he played like a god."

"Do they really?! All he did was run his hand back and forth over it! It wasn't even his!"

Link smiled. "It sounds like you two were good friends."

"Not at all." Ghirahim said, although he felt oddly at peace. "I hated him."

.

.

.

Ghirahim squinted as he stepped into the bright morning sunlight. Link skipped behind him, somehow well rested despite sleeping on a bed that may as well have been a slab of stone. Rusl was sitting on the steps waiting for them, idly carving a hawk out of a small chunk of wood. He glanced up as he heard them approach.

"Morning." He greeted. "You ready to hit the road?"

"Indescribably ready." Ghirahim popped his back, feeling sore.

"Is Hyrule Castle far from here?" Link asked. Rusl pocketed his half-finished hawk and stood.

"It's a bit of a walk, but we should be there before sundown. Let's go."

The trio began heading out of Kakariko Village. As they walked, Rusl turned to them. "I want to apologize for not being able to bring the carriage with us, but Renado and I agreed that it would be best to leave it in the village in case of an emergency. What with everything that's been going on lately, nowhere is really safe anymore."

"What's been going on lately?" Link quickly asked.

"Well, you two aren't from around here, so you probably don't know about this, but a few years back the realm of Twilight invaded our own. During the invasion, areas of land were blocked off by Twilight, and nothing but monsters could traverse it freely. Something similar is happening again now." He smiled a proud smile. "It didn't last, though, when this happened before, thanks to Link. He drove the monsters out of this land and became a hero. I always expected great things of him, but to think he was the incarnation of the hero of legend…"

"You speak as if he's your own son." Ghirahim mused. "Are the two of you close?"

Rusl laughed. "Very. I found him as a baby in the forest outside of Ordon Village, my home. He had no family to speak of. I raised him as if he were my own son, although he became independent rather quickly. He even built his own house out of a hollowed out tree. I also taught him some basic sword techniques, but he became much better than I am during his journey. Apparently he met a great master who taught him hidden techniques, but that's all I've been able to get him to tell me."

Link's face visibly grew strained. The boy really was terrible at lying; even his body language gave him away.

"Where is he now?" Ghirahim asked. "If he lives with those children, shouldn't he be protecting them instead of some gorons?"

Rusl looked a bit saddened at that. "Unfortunately, as the hero of this land, Link's first duty is to protect the triforce. After saving this land and defeating Ganondorf, the man who was behind everything, Link became both the Bearer of Courage and the Bearer of Power. Because of this, Princess Zelda and King Daphnes have asked that he remain at the castle so he and the triforce can be protected. It is… putting quite a strain on him, to put it lightly. He's acting like a wild animal in a cage. It upsets him that he can't be out helping to solve this mess."

"I bet. I know I'd go crazy if I were cooped up in a castle." Link said, looking sad about the situation his pupil was in.

Ghirahim looked at Rusl quizzically. "You say that this is disheartening to Link, but your tone seems to imply something else."

A wry smile crossed Rusl's face. "You're a perceptive man, Ghirahim. Truth be told, I think that the king and princess have the right idea. Link is strong and brave, but from what we've seen, the barriers that have formed are impenetrable. Even the monsters don't seem to be able to cross it. It's better for now to allow people like me and my team to scout out the area rather than risking someone so important."

Link looked like he wanted to argue, but before he could say anything the sound of a horn being blown rang out. "Damn." Rusl unsheathed his sword. "Look out, you two. This could get nasty."

Ghirahim felt tremor underneath his feet and sighted monsters riding what looked like giant boars charging for them. "Tsk, look at this. They think they're threatening. Adorable." He snapped his fingers, summoning knives. A flick of his wrist sent them hurling into the necks of some of the bulbins, who gurgled and toppled off of their mounts.

Rusl leapt into the fray, lopping the head off of one of the boars and sending its rider flying. Unbeknownst to him, another bulbin had stealthily approached him from behind, bow drawn. Ghirahim was about to summon a dagger to kill it with when the monster was suddenly consumed by a burst of flames.

"Good job, Ghirahim!" Link called, sounding horribly unconvincing as he attempted to pretend to be the helpless child he was masquerading as. Rusl rose an eyebrow at the boy.

"He knows it was you, little one." Ghirahim called as he summoned a sword and deflected an arrow with it.

"What?! But-"

"You carry a sword on your back despite having a spirit to protect you, Mido. It was obvious from the start that you were not an average boy." Rusl flashed a smile. "Thanks for taking out that bulbin."

Link, looking relieved that he didn't have to pretend to be useless, immediately dove into the fight, wielding the Gilded Sword like a seasoned warrior. Ghirahim wanted to shake him. Just because Rusl didn't expect him to be helpless did _not _mean it was ok to attract attention with sword skills that only an army commander should have. Luckily Rusl seemed to have his hands full and wasn't focusing too much attention on the little one, so maybe he could still salvage this.

Ghirahim snapped his fingers and teleported to in-between Link and Rusl and began using his flashiest moves, entirely blocking Link from the man's view with diamond patterned magic and waves of summoned swords and daggers. Before long, he embedded a knife in the last bulbin's heart. The three took a minute to catch their breath.

"The two of you are very admirable." Rusl praised. "We should keep moving before more monsters show up."

As they resumed their journey, Ghirahim and Link dropped behind Rusl a bit so they could talk without being overheard.

"What were you thinking, little one?! I saw you spin around a monster, leap onto its shoulder, and stab it in the head! He expects you to be competent, not superhuman!" Ghirahim hissed.

"Well, what were _you_ doing, using magic as flashy as that?! There's no way he thinks we're normal now!" Link growled back.

"On the contrary, little one, he never thought I was normal. I have a completely justified reason to fight at my full capacity. You, on the other hand, do not!"

"Don't boss me around!"

"Then don't act so foolhardy and I won't need to!"

"The two of you are falling behind." Rusl called.

.

.

.

"There it is." Rusl pointed. "Hyrule Castle."

The castle towered majestically in the distance. The sight made Ghirahim nostalgic for his master's old castle from the days of warring with the Goddess. Demise's tastes had been a bit… lacking in the design department, however. Ghirahim had insisted that one could only use black obsidian for so much, and surely the master would agree that this would look much better in marble, but Demise had clung to his garish design until the end.

Rusl nodded to the guards at the gate, who let him in without question. They eyed Link speculatively though, and whispers of "the hero's child" were heard as they entered Castle Town.

While he wasn't a fan of crowds, Ghirahim instantly liked this place considerably more than Kakariko Village. It had a much brighter, fast paced feel to it, and there was no dust or grime in sight. Unfortunately, unlike the residents of Clock Town, the people here were not used to unusual sights and gaped openly at both Link and Ghirahim as Rusl led them down the bustling, colorful streets.

They arrived in a small alleyway with a single building and stepped inside. It was a cozy, warm bar with tasteful, muted colors. The bartender, a buxom woman with tanned skin and red hair, glanced up and beamed. "Rusl! I take it everything went well?"

Rusl nodded. "It did, Telma. Ilia and the children are safe in Kakariko Village. My wife insisted on staying in Ordon because our daughter is too young to travel, but Mayor Bo promises me that no harm will come to them."

Telma's gaze had wandered to Rusl's company and looked startled. "Well, I'll be." She breathed. "Hun, you look just like…"

"This is Mido and Ghirahim. They're foreign. Apparently, where they're from, that green garb is common."

"Is that so?" Telma peered mischievously at Ghirahim. "If _your _clothes are common, I think I might have to go on a little trip to where you're from!"

Ghirahim smirked. It wasn't often he met someone else who bantered like he did. "Sorry to disappoint you. Not many can pull off this kind of thing with confidence, if you know what I mean." He made a subtle gesture downwards. Telma let out a hearty laugh.

"Come on you two, Mido is just a boy!" Rusl protested. Link looked offended.

"It's not like I don't know what a d-"

"Why don't you two come here and meet my associates?!" Rusl interrupted, looking mildly panicked. Ghirahim sniggered and followed him to a curtained off area. Three people sat at a table with a map on it, embroiled in deep conversation.

"Hey, there." Rusl greeted them, catching their attention.

"Hey, Rusl! Glad you're back!" A young man wearing glasses greeted.

"We've been sorely missing your aid. Good to have you back." An older man rumbled.

"What's with the kid and the flamboyant guy?" A woman in shining armor grunted.

"This is Mido and Ghirahim. They're hoping to meet with the Princess to discuss something private. Mido, Ghirahim, this is Shad, Auru, and Ashei. We are the ones who have been investigating the disturbances around Hyrule."

"Have you discovered anything lately?" Ghirahim asked.

The three looked upset. "I'm afraid, my dear fellow, that the only thing we have discovered is some bad news." Shad said, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes. "Seems that when that barrier was erected, a local girl might have been trapped on the other side. Her name is Agitha. Nobody has seen her since it appeared, hence why we think she might have been caught up by it."

"It's a very troublesome matter." Auru sighed. "Agitha is a sweet girl, wouldn't hurt a fly, especially since she adores insects. She is a bit… off, though."

"What he's saying is, we doubt she'll last long if whoever put up that damn barrier is hostile, yeah?" Ashei ran her hand through her hair, looking frustrated. "And all things considered, doing something like that in the first place seems pretty hostile, so we need to get her out as soon as possible. Only…"

"You've had no luck penetrating it yet." Rusl looked downhearted. He turned to Ghirahim and Link. "I'm sorry, this doesn't really concern you, does it? No point in worrying you over things that don't affect you. Telma has a spare room in here, I'm sure she won't mind if you spend the night. I'll go notify the guards with your request to speak with the princess in the morning."

He showed the pair to the spare room before leaving to speak to the group again, a troubled look on his face.

Ghirahim practically threw himself at one of the beds. "Soft!" He cooed. "Soft and clean! I'll never undervalue a clean bed again!"

Link laughed, but his face grew serious quickly. "Looks like we don't need to talk to the princess anymore, do we?"

Ghirahim sat up and nodded. "Indeed, it would hardly be beneficial. Considering how much the guards seem to respect Rusl, I'd say that the group out there is the Princess's personal surveillance team. If they don't know anything, she doesn't know anything. So, what shall we do from here?"

Link looked thoughtful. "I guess the only thing to do is to try and break through the barrier ourselves. If we can't do that, I might at least be able to use magic to find other barriers like it. If the Time Witch has made similar things in other worlds, maybe we can get more information there."

"Excellent. So we'll leave at dawn before Rusl comes to find us, then?"

"Nope." Link grinned. "We leave as soon as everyone else is asleep."

Ghirahim scowled. "Little one, I do not require sleep for survival, but I enjoy it and I do not function well without it. Why are you suggesting this?"

"Because I know Link. I mean, the other Link. He's definitely gotten wind of what's happened to that Agitha girl by now, and it'll be the last straw for him. We're breaking him out of that castle."


	5. Chapter 5

Ghirahim was positively steaming with fury. He was a _demon lord. _He had commanded armies, slain thousands of people, and had been the right hand man to a _god._ Of all of the places he could have ended up, a _sewer_ was not what he had expected.

He kicked a rat hard into the rancid water. It hadn't even been in his way, really. Link glanced back at Ghirahim and winced.

"Sorry. You were probably expecting a more grandiose break-in, huh?" He said sheepishly.

Ghirahim gritted his teeth. "Little one, I was expecting anything but having to wade through sewage. I really wish you'd just let me handle this my way."

Link shot him a glare. "You mean killing everyone?"

"Not _everyone. _Just enough bloodshed to show we mean business. Then we give them our demand for this… other Link, and if they don't comply-"

"-OR, we can deal with a mildly unpleasant situation and not become the enemies of an entire kingdom!" Link interrupted. "Geez, and you say I'm reckless. My plan is way better than yours."

"You don't even know what a plan is, little one. This is an idea, not a plan. For example, when we get into the castle, how are you going to avoid being spotted?"

Link quickly turned away from Ghirahim, walking slightly faster as though hoping to lose him. Ghirahim rolled his eyes, barely having to make an effort to keep pace with his short legged companion. Ghirahim was about to start making fun of him when Link stopped and spun to face him, eyes alight.

"I have a mask that turns me invisible to everyone who doesn't have magic! And you can hide in my sword while I'm wearing it! It's the perfect plan!" The boy's face fell slightly. "Unless you can't reenter the sword. Or if the royal family employs sorcerers."

Ghirahim sighed. "One step at a time little one. If the royal family has thought that far ahead, there's not much we can do about it. The sword, on the other hand…"

He motioned for Link to stand closer. Link obligingly drew the Gilded Sword, holding it out to Ghirahim. Ghirahim furrowed his brow in concentration and entered the sword. It was a bit of a different sensation from when he would become a sword for his master, and while it wasn't painful, it was uncomfortable for him to be conscious and yet have no agency over his actions. He withdrew quickly.

"It seems it shouldn't be a problem." Ghirahim kicked another rat into the water. Noticing Link's raised eyebrows, he smiled brightly. "Self-defense."

Link laughed, the sound echoing against the sewer walls. "It did seem pretty bloodthirsty, being three inches tall and all." He looked up before stopping abruptly, almost causing Ghirahim to bump into him. "We're here." He pointed to a ledge far above them, almost out of eyesight. "Can you teleport us there?"

Ghirahim nodded, swooping Link up and snapping his fingers. The ledge led outside to the roof of Hyrule Castle. The two breathed the fresh air gratefully. "Never make me do that again." Ghirahim said to Link firmly.

"As long as you know a place, you can teleport to it, right?" Link said, shaking off his damp boots. "So we shouldn't have to go back in there even after we find Link. I mean, the other Link. That's going to get confusing really fast, isn't it?"

Ghirahim smiled wickedly. "No need to worry. I'm certain I can come up with a nickname for him."

Link grimaced. "I wouldn't if I were you. I don't mind it when you call me "little one", but the other Link will probably be pretty mad if you try and give him a pet name. He's kind of grumpy."

"Perfect!" Ghirahim sang. "I'll do my best!"

"…To make him angry?"

"Naturally. Little one, shouldn't you be putting on your mask right about now? We are on the roof of a castle in plain sight, after all." Link flushed at his mistake and dug into his enchanted pouch, pulling out a rather stupid looking mask and putting it on.

Ghirahim crouched to get a better look, fascinated. The mask didn't actually turn Link invisible, but instead repelled the gaze of whoever was looking in his direction, creating a blind spot wherever he went. "What a clever little spell." Ghirahim hummed. "It almost makes up for the fact that you look absolutely ridiculous."

"Whatever, it doesn't matter if nobody can see me, right? Hurry up and hide in the sword, you probably stick out like a sore thumb right now! Who wears red to break in to a castle?!"

"You clearly haven't noticed, little one, but I look dazzling in red, and that's what matters." Ghirahim harrumphed before disappearing into the Gilded Sword once more.

Link ran along the rooftop searching for a window to slip into, doing his best to be quiet. The Stone Mask, from his experience, seemed to muffle the sounds he made while wearing it, but it still made him flinch whenever the roof creaked beneath his feet or his boot hit the ground a little too hard. He spotted an entrance and quickly slipped inside. He glanced around.

_This is bizarre. I know it's been a really long time since I lived in Hyrule, but this is the most important location in the land and yet I haven't seen a single guard. Back in my time even that sewer used to have regular patrols. Could something be going on? ...Never mind. I'm just wasting time overthinking this._

He placed his hands on his hips and observed his surroundings. The room looked to be a study of some sort, with an assortment of books, paper, scattered quills, and half closed ink bottles scattered across a dark wooden desk. A cabinet stood tall in the corner with ridiculously ornate carvings decorating the sides. Link struggled to remember the layout of the Hyrule Castle he once knew. What had this room been before? There was nothing distinctive enough about it that could allow him to place himself. He realized with a sudden lurch that it was very possible that additions had been made to the castle over the years and that this room might not have even existed during his time. Perhaps it was best to simply wander until he found the other Link? Ghirahim had been right, his plan was littered with holes.

Link jolted at the sudden sound of voices and running footsteps. Forgetting entirely that he was wearing the Stone Mask, he childishly ducked and hid under the desk in front of him.

The door slammed open, and Link watched from his hiding spot as armored feet ran into view.

"Damn, not here either!" A deep voice bellowed.

"The princess will have our heads for this! We were supposed to be watching him!" Another groaned.

"She won't have our heads because she won't find out about this. We're going to find that damn country bumpkin ranch hand and _flay _his ass for doing something so stupid at a time of national crisis!"

"S-sir, I understand how you feel right now, but he is the hero, and the holder of two pieces of the Triforce. Should we really-"

There was the sound of shattering glass, and ink spattered across the floor.

"Just because the brat is an important figurehead does not justify him breaking the _one_ rule the royal family has imposed on him! He's been allowed to do whatever he likes as long as he doesn't leave our sight, and yet he has the gall to act as though he's entitled to jeopardize the entire kingdom! Now move it, and notify the guards at the gates. Link isn't going anywhere."

The door slammed so hard the wood nearly splintered. Link let out an unsteady breath. Stealth had never been his forte. Knowing that the guards wouldn't have seen him even if they had checked under the desk didn't make him feel any better. He crawled out from under the desk, hoping that Ghirahim couldn't see anything while in the Gilded Sword. The sword spirit would never let him hear the end of it if he had seen-

Link's heart nearly leapt out of his chest as he heard a creaking sound from within the room. He whirled, instinctively grasping the Gilded Sword's hilt before his jaw dropped.

There, cautiously slipping out of the cabinet he had noticed earlier, was the other Link. The dark haired man carefully eyed the door before edging towards the window.

"Link?" Link unthinkingly blurted out.

His protégé reacted with astounding speed as his body shifted forms. The wolf's body collided with Link's hard, and the smaller hero was thrown to the floor, cutting himself on the glass from the shattered inkwell.

There was a crackling sound, and Ghirahim appeared from the sword, setting himself between his master and the blue eyed beast. "Now listen here, mutt," Ghirahim snarled. "Is this the way you treat your allies?!"

The wolf, to Ghirahim's fury, seemed to be ignoring him, eyes fixed on Link. Link stood shakily, taking off the stone mask with a chagrined expression.

"Sorry." He smiled. "I forgot you've never seen me in my real form before. I didn't mean to startle you, Link. It's good to see you again."

The wolf took a step forward, icy eyes widening in recognition. He sniffed cautiously before his body darkened and he reappeared as a human once more.

"…Master?" He had a quiet voice, which surprised Ghirahim, who had been expecting a rough growl. "Is that you?"

Link looked sad. "I'm sorry."

"…What for? I'm the one who made you bleed."

Link shrugged. "I lied. Throughout my time teaching you I implied that I was an ancient, long dead spirit of a hero. In reality, I'm a child. I might be older than I look, but I'm still a child, certainly younger than you, and it was because of my selfishness that you had to be the one to save Hyrule." He met the other Link's gaze. "So, I'm sorry."

The other Link looked away with a strange look on his face. There was a long silence. "I don't really know how this, Master, but… I already knew that."

Link looked positively dumbfounded. "You WHAT?!"

Ghirahim shook from laughter. "It seems you're a miserable liar _and _actor, little one!" He gasped, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes. Link glared furiously at him.

"It's not that." The other Link interjected, looking slightly annoyed at Ghirahim. "An imp in the forest told me."

Link blinked in surprise. "Wait, you mean Skull Kid? But why?!"

The other shrugged. "He said he was your best friend and that he wanted you to be able to live a happy life like everyone else, and that he hoped I'd understand." He glanced away, looking embarrassed. "I do understand, by the way. You did more than your share in helping this land. You're entitled to want a normal life away from," he cast a scowl at the room they stood in, "all of _this._"

"Speaking of our current situation," Ghirahim cut in, annoyed at being ignored, "It's time to leave, puppy. We can have a nice long chat after I teleport us out of here."

The other Link's eyes narrowed. "Don't call me that."

Ghirahim grinned. "You don't like it? I think it suits you."

The young man shook his head. "I don't. I hate it. That's not the point. That's… the name Agitha calls my other form. She's-"

"On the other side of the barrier, we know." Ghirahim interrupted. "We're taking you straight there, pup. Show some appreciation."

He looked astounded before an expression of gratitude washed over his face. "Thank you." He said, barely loud enough to hear. Ghirahim merely smirked in response before hoisting Link in one arm, throwing his arm around the other Link's shoulders, and snapping.

The all reappeared in the field that Link and Ghirahim had traversed earlier with Rusl. The other Link glared at Ghirahim. "So much for "straight there", huh?"

Link hopped down. "Sorry. Ghirahim can only teleport to places where we've been before, and we've never seen the barrier ourselves."

The other Link sighed before leaning on a boulder. "It's alright. There are a few things we need to talk about first. Like-"

"Your name!" Link interrupted. The other Link slowly raised an eyebrow at him. "We may need to travel together for quite some time. It'll get really confusing if we're both Link, so we need a good nickname for you."

The other Link huffed. "And why is it that we can't give _you_ the nickname?"

Link smiled proudly. "Because I had this name first."

Ghirahim snorted. "That is some truly childish logic, little one."

"Is not!"

"Nah, it makes sense." The other Link folded his arms behind his head. "I was probably named after him. This is only fair."

Ghirahim gave him a bewildered look. "What kind of reasoning is that? No matter. I already came up with a nickname for you. Puppy will do just fine."

The other Link didn't respond and just glowered.

"Um, how about Twi?" Link asked enthusiastically.

He was met with dumbfounded looks. "Aw, come on! It's clever! He's the Hero of Twilight!"

"That couldn't be farther from clever, little one." Ghirahim sighed. "I'm so disappointed in you."

Link turned to his descendant with an expectant expression. The other Link looked uncomfortable. "Master…"

"Yes?!"

"…I hate it. Sorry."

Link looked shocked. "Really? You too?"

"Yeah, really. But… It's not like we're coming up with anything better. So," he grimaced, "it'll have to do. Just don't call me that around anyone I know. It'd be embarrassing."

Link beamed, and Ghirahim looked a bit sulky.

"No matter. I fully intend to continue calling you "puppy". No need to fret, the true nickname king won't let you down." Ghirahim said, crossing his arms.

The newly dubbed Twi's lips tightened. "As I was saying before my pride was thrown out the window, there are some _important _things we need to discuss. What the hell are you?" He pointed rudely at Ghirahim.

Ghirahim frowned. "Goodness, you truly are an ill-mannered country bumpkin, aren't you? You're supposed to ask _who _I am, not _what_ I am."

Twi just crossed his arms and waited. Ghirahim groaned. "Oh, very well. I am an ancient sword spirit who served a god many thousands of years ago. I had a long and fabulous reign as a demon lord until the original Link nearly murdered me and I wound up residing in a sword, which happened to be the sword of your master. I was awoken when he released me." He spread his arms. "Is that enough of an explanation to you?"

Twi looked suspicious. "So why are you working with Master? If our ancestor almost killed you, shouldn't you hate us?"

Ghirahim shrugged. "My own master has been dead for thousands of years, and the one who ruined everything has been dead for nearly as long. Besides, the little one would still be stuck in a cannon if I wasn't here to save his sorry hide."

Twi's face darkened. "You met the clown then, eh? Sorry. Must've been rough."

Link nodded. "Ghirahim almost murdered him."

"I almost wish you had. His business practice is a total scam. You shouldn't have to tempt fate just to visit the sacred spring or the Zora temple. Master-"

"Just Link is fine. People are going to get weirded out if they hear you calling someone so much younger than you "Master"." Link said with a small smile.

"Ah, sorry about that. I was just trying to be respectful, but that would be pretty suspicious now that I think about it. Anyways, I was hoping you could tell me everything you know about that barrier."

Link shook his head. "We don't know much. We know it's the work of someone called the Time Witch, but we don't know who she is or what she wants. We're hoping to find the barrier and try to break through it or trace its origins."

Twi was quiet for a few moments, pondering everything. Eventually he looked up. "It's late. We should head to Kakariko and get some shut eye."

"Absolutely not!" Ghiahim said vehemently. "I refuse to go back to that dustbowl of a town!"

"Also, I think the people there might get suspicious." Link added. "The last time we met them we insisted we had nothing to do with you. If we suddenly showed up with you..."

Twi nodded. "Then we'll go to Ordon, my hometown. I need to get my sword anyways. My other one was confiscated by the castle guards. They said I was being _menacing _with it."

"You are pretty intimidating." Link admitted.

"Hmph. It's a bit farther than Kakariko, and we'll need to be a bit sneaky when we get there. I live on the outskirts of town so nobody should see us arriving, but I don't want to take any chances. Nobody there would report me or anything like that, but it would probably complicate things."

Twi pulled a small, horseshoe shaped whistle from his pocket and blew into it. A pretty little melody drifted into the night air. Almost instantly, the sound of galloping approached, and a beautiful horse appeared, shaking it's mane like a greeting.

"Hey, Epona." Twi, smiling for the first time, patted the steed on the nose. "I missed you too." He turned to Link and Ghirahim. "Hop on. I'll run in my wolf form."

Link, despite being much smaller than the large mare, hopped up easily onto her back. Ghiahim just stared.

"Little one… I think I'll stay in your sword until we get there."

Link looked confused. "What? Why?"

Twi snorted. "He obviously can't ride a horse."

Ghirahim gave Twi a murderous look and was pleased to see that, unlike Link, Twi actually reacted to intimidation. Granted, he didn't look fearful, just mirrored Ghirahim's expression back at him, but anything was preferable to Link's deliberate obliviousness.

The journey seemingly passed by very quickly, most likely due to everyone having important things on their minds. It was with a jolt that Link realized that they were suddenly in a forest instead of a plain. Nostalgia washed over him as he stared up at the thick foliage. He was certain that this had been part of the woods he used to call home.

They reached a small clearing with a large, hollowed out tree that had been converted into a house. The craftsmanship was quite impressive. Link hopped off of Epona's back and waited for the others to return to their normal forms.

Twi ruffled Epona's mane affectionately and beckoned Link and Ghirahim to follow him as he clambered up the ladder that led to the door of the house.

The interior was shockingly cozy, especially once Twi lit a fire in the small fireplace. It was a little cluttered, but still clean and homey. The walls were dotted with ornaments, things that had been found in the wild, and framed pictographs.

"It's so good to be in a pleasant location for a change." Ghirahim sighed. Twi beckoned the two to sit at the little kitchen table.

"For your hands." He tossed Link a small jar.

"Huh?" Link glanced down. "Oh yeah. I forgot I cut them earlier." He pried open the lid and rubbed the medicine into the cuts, wincing as it stung.

"I don't have much, but it looks like I have some vegetables that haven't gone bad. I'll throw them together and make a stew. It's better than nothing." Twi glanced at Ghirahim as if waiting for him to say something.

Ghirahim raised an eyebrow. "Something on my face?"

"Nah, I just expected you to be the type to turn down food that wasn't gourmet."

Ghirahim smirked. "I don't need food to survive, so if it isn't to my liking, why bother? Besides, there's more for the two of you anyways this way. Aren't I generous?"

Twi didn't respond, but his jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.

"So Twi, I have a question." Link chimed in, hoping to break the tension. Twi grimaced at the nickname but nodded for Link to go ahead. "How did you master the ability to transform into a wolf on your own? I thought you needed that imp friend of yours to help you do that? Where is she, by the way?"

Twi suddenly turned his back, hiding his face as he busied himself with cutting up vegetables. "…It was an accident, at first." He said after a pause. "I suddenly just transformed with no warning. I was stuck in my wolf form for a while before I could figure out how to control it. After that happened a few more times, I learned how to do it voluntarily… As for my friend, her name was Midna. She's gone."

Link blanched. "I'm so sorry! I had no idea she died! Sorry to bring it up!"

"…She didn't die. She just left."

"My, that's almost worse." Ghirahim folded his arms behind his head.

Link suddenly looked profoundly sad. Ghirahim glanced at him quizzically before deciding not to pursue the matter. Twi handed Link a bowl full of stew and sat down with his own. It didn't taste bad, but the old vegetables were a bit tough.

"Why do you think that this Time Witch walled off half of Hyrule field?" Twi suddenly asked. "There's literally nothing of value there. Why not go for the castle, or at the very least one of the sacred springs?"

"Right? I've been trying to figure out her motive because that tends to make bad guys easier to beat, but she seems to be all over the place. Skull Kid told me that she's thinning the barriers between times and dimensions. What would she gain from that?" Link added.

Ghriahim leaned back in his chair. "The only thing that would make sense would be if she desired to travel between the worlds more easily, but what's the point of walling yourself off? Perhaps her erratic behavior is a sign of madness. If so, she should be easy to beat."

Twi shook his head. "Don't be so sure. I had to deal with a madman, and if anything he was harder to deal with than a sane opponent because of how unpredictable he was." He stood, picking up his and Link's empty bowls. "We should get to bed. Need to be well rested if we're going to break through that barrier and find Agitha."


	6. Chapter 6

Ghirahim awoke abruptly the next morning. Or was it afternoon? They had been up so late the night before he wasn't certain at this point. Idly wondering what had woken him, he turned over and was about to drift asleep again when he heard something. A monkey, perhaps.

…a _monkey?_

He sat up quickly and listened. Yes. That was unmistakably the sound of a monkey. And it was inside the house.

He peered into the main room and stared bemusedly as a monkey with a flower tucked behind its ear appeared to be chattering animatedly to Twi, who was in his wolf form. Blue eyes flicked to Ghirahim before returning to the monkey, who was now dramatically pointing towards the sun. Twi made a small growl (of understanding? Annoyance? It was impossible to tell) and bobbed his head. The monkey bowed politely to Twi and Ghirahim before hopping out of the open window and swinging away through the trees.

Twi reverted to his human form and ran his hands through his hair, muttering curses.

"Friend of yours?" Ghirahim plopped down in Twi's chair, pretending to ignore the grumpy look it earned him.

"Yeah, I guess she is. Get out of my chair."

"Then why do you look so put off, puppy? Not a morning person?" Ghirahim deliberately crossed his legs and leaned back.

"You kidding? I love mornings. This isn't morning, it's the afternoon. We slept in way too late, and that monkey just told me she spotted an encampment of soldiers nearby." Twi said with a scowl.

Ghirahim's smile faded. "Do you think they're after you?"

Twi sighed. "They must be. I love this little village, but there's nothing here worth sending a small army after, and as much as I'd like to think that _her highness _would send guards to protect Ordon, I know better."

"Ooh, there's an awful lot of venom in that tone, puppy. Still sulking about being locked in a cage?" Ghirahim's wicked grin returned as quickly as it had left.

Twi's eyes dropped to the floor. "…I'll admit I'm sulking a bit, and I do understand that it was only Zelda's intention to protect me. But just because I understand why she did it doesn't mean I enjoyed it for a second. Even so, I would have stuck around if Agitha hadn't gotten trapped on the other side of that barrier. I'm not going to just sit and wait as those incompetent soldiers… no, who am I kidding, they don't help at all. Rusl and everyone from the bar are the ones who actually have been doing all the work."

"Ah, yes. Link and I met them. Telma was a delight." Ghirahim nodded. Twi rolled his eyes.

"I'm not surprised you two got along. Anyways, we need to get going as soon as we eat something. Wake up Link, will you? The monkey left us some fruit, and I found some bread that might be a little bit edible."

Ghirahim wrinkled his nose. "I'll pass on the bread, thanks. Fruit is enough for me."

"Suit yourself."

Ghirahim climbed up to the top floor of the little house and found Link was somehow still fast asleep despite all the noise they had been making. He placed a hand on the boys shoulder and shook gently.

"Wake up little one! We'll eat all the food if you don't!"

Link made a small, angry sound and rolled away from Ghirahim, pulling the covers farther over his head. Ghirahim glared at him. _Very well. _He thought grimly, sucking in air.

"OH NO, IT'S ANJU'S COOKING! IT HAS BECOME SENTIENT AND FOLLOWED US THROUGH DIMENSIONS! IT'S COMING FOR YOU, LITTLE ONE!" Ghirahim yelled in a faux dramatic voice.

Link sat up slowly and turned to Ghirahim with a look of fury in his eyes.

"Ah, the angry little remlit is back, I see." Ghirahim laughed as the boy radiated a murderous aura.

"Will you two pipe down?" Twi's voice called from the kitchen. "We aren't _trying _to get caught by the soldiers, you know."

"Soldiers?" Link repeated, reverting abruptly to his regular self. "Did they track us?"

They heard Twi snort. "Don't give them that much credit. I doubt they could track an old goron. They must've known that I'd need a sword and figured I'd go home to get one. Food's ready."

They ate quickly, glancing periodically out the window. The so-called bread that Twi had found was practically hard tack, but the fruit was ripe, delicious, and filled them with energy.

"I'm going to grab my sword from the basement. You two gather as much supplies from here as you can. Who knows what's on the other side of that barrier and how long it'll take to find Agitha." Twi said, lighting his lamp.

There was very little food left, but luckily Twi had a decent amount of potions and medical supplies stored away that would be of use.

"I guess we could hunt for food if we need to. I wonder if those giant boars that the monsters rode would be tasty…" Link pondered as he carefully wrapped and stored what they had found.

"I've eaten one before when I was stuck in the desert." Twi reappeared, using a cloth to wipe off the dusty sword. "It was actually really good, but it made me sick afterwards."

Ghirahim laughed. "Perhaps next time you shouldn't eat it raw, puppy."

"It was cooked!" Twi huffed. "Just because I turn into a wolf doesn't mean-"

Twi stopped talking abruptly, cocking his head and listening to something. Link and Ghirahim strained to hear as well, and very faintly they noticed a distant clanking metal sound.

"Looks like we dawdled too much. We need to leave right now." Twi fastened his sword to his back. "Got everything?"

Ghirahim nodded. "There wasn't much to begin with. Come, I'll teleport us out of here."

"Wait a second." Twi opened the front door and hopped down to where Epona was waiting. "I need to leave for a while, girl. Guard the home front while I'm gone, will you? Fado will let you sleep at the ranch."

Epona nudged him gently with understanding eyes. Twi patted her nose fondly and climbed back up into the house.

"Now we can go." He said. Ghirahim quickly teleported them to the field they had traversed earlier.

"I wonder how confused those soldiers will be once they realized we slipped past them." Link giggled. "Is this the right way, Twi?"

"Not even close. It's this way. Shouldn't you know your way around here better?"

Link let out a small huff and didn't answer.

"Hopefully there won't be anyone at the barrier when we get there. It would be quite a nuisance to have to handle soldiers while the little one and I try to deal with the barrier. By the way, I know you are capable of transformation, puppy, but do you grasp any other magical skills?" Ghirahim asked Twi. Twi rubbed the back of his head, looking a little embarrassed.

"No, sorry. Zelda tried to teach me some basic stuff once, but it was way over my head. Honestly, if I hadn't been forced to transform the first time, I doubt I would be able to do it. Will you guys be able to break the barrier without my help?"

Link shook his head. "I doubt we can just break it. If it were that easy, Princess Zelda would have probably taken care of it already. The best we can hope for is to make a temporary gap we can slip through. If that doesn't work, we can follow it to another world and see if we get any clues there."

Twi looked a bit glum at that idea. "I hope it doesn't come to that. Agitha is a nice girl, but she isn't exactly all that bright. I'm not trying to call her stupid, just has her head in the clouds most of the time. I don't know how long she'd last in a hostile environment."

"You shouldn't underestimate airheads." Ghirahim said, looking thoughtful. "They have more tricks up their sleeves than you'd realize. You're right to be worried, I'm sure, but I'm willing to wager she's taking care of herself."

"…I hope you're right." Twi murmured, not looking at all reassured.

"Uh, guys? I think I can see the barrier." Link said suddenly, standing on his toes.

Twi and Ghirahim followed his gaze. For a moment, it was hard to tell what they were even looking at. It was a solid black mass that appeared to extend from the ground all the way into the sky.

"Odd." Ghirahim squinted his eyes. "It looks less like a magical barrier and more like there's simply nothing there at all."

"What does that mean?" Twi's brow was furrowed. "Is that bad?"

"It might be." Link said worriedly. "Ghirahim, now that you see it, can you teleport us over there? We need to hurry."

Ghirahim did so. Link hesitantly reached out and touched the black mass.

"This is really bed." He groaned.

"Why? What is it?" Twi demanded.

"This is a magic barrier like we thought, but breaking though it won't do any good. There's nothing on the other side."

"How is that possible?!" Twi's eyes widened.

"It shouldn't be." Ghirahim said, pacing along the edge of it. "This Time Witch must have an extraordinary amount of magic to be able to relocate an entire segment of a world. And where would she place it? And _what would she gain from this?!" _He threw his hands into the air. "What kind of _asinine _plan is this?! Puppy, are you absolutely certain there was nothing of value on the other side of this?"

Twi shook his head firmly. "Nothing at all. No spirit springs, no villages, not even any resources. I have no idea who would want this land, asides from Agitha. There are a lot of bugs around here. I doubt the Time Witch is an insect collector, though."

"Man, that'd be annoying if she was. Imagine if we went through all this trouble and it turns out the Time Witch was just building an insect utopia." Link scuffed his boots on the ground.

"Well, little one, you have more knowledge of other worlds than I. Can you tell if this appears anywhere else?" Ghirahim flicked the barrier as he spoke.

"Give me a few seconds." Link closed his eyes. "…looks like there are two other places… ah!" His eyes snapped open. "We don't want to go _there._ Nope. Let's go to the other one instead."

"Where is "there"?" Twi rose an eyebrow.

"Nowhere!" Link chirped quickly. "Nowhere at all. So we can't go there. Nope."

"You're acting suspicious, little one." Ghirahim smirked.

"W-what? No I'm not."

"What aren't you telling us, Link?"

Link glowered. "Nothing. Maybe I just don't want to go there. Besides, it doesn't matter. Like I said, there's two other worlds with this barrier, so we can just go to the other one. What's the big deal?"

Twi and Ghirahim looked at each other and shrugged.

"If it means that much to you, little one. Can you get us there?"

"I should be able to…" Link looked nervous. "I've never transported this many people to a new world before. I hope nothing goes wrong… Wish I could do this as easily as Skull Kid can…"

"There's no point in second guessing yourself. We've come this far, and we'll deal with the consequences." Twi said firmly. Link looked a little encouraged at that.

"You're right. Ok, here goes…"

As the symbols began to swirl around them, the stern look on Twi's face was replaced by paranoia.

"Uh, the last time you guys did this, Link got stuck in a canon, right?"

"Indeed. It was most amusing." Ghirahim hummed.

"So that means he can't control were we land, right?" They were now flying towards their destination. Link, in his concentration, didn't appear to hear his companions' conversation.

"…What are you getting at, puppy?"

"So what's stopping us from landing in lava? Or the middle of the ocean?"

"….I'm really starting to loathe you. Of all the times you could have brought this up, you choose NOW to-"

"Kweee-HEEEEE!"

They had landed hard on something soft and bouncy… and alive.

"Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry!" Link was already frantically apologizing. "Are you ok… um…"

The bouncy mound they were sitting on slowly sat up, dumping them to the ground gently.

"Kweeee… you startled me there. Where did you three come from, kwee-hee?"

Link and Twi gaped open mouthed at what appeared to them as a giant, talking, bouncy mountain. Ghirahim briskly stood, dusting himself off.

"Oh, close your mouths. Haven't the two of you ever seen a kikwi before? They're nothing special, you know."

"Ho ho ho! He's right you know, we're very ordinary, kweeee!" The mound rumbled.

"…A bird?" Twi muttered.

"I think it's more like a hedgehog. A plant hedgehog." Link hissed back.

"What kind of hedgehog would use plants as defense? Wouldn't that just make it more appetizing to herbivores? It's definitely a bird."

"Well, what kind of bird has _arms?!"_

"Kweeh… Do I know you?" The creature asked Ghirahim, craning its head.

"I doubt it. You'd remember me if you had met me." Ghirahim sniffed.

"Hmmmmmm…" The creature twisted its head this way and that. "I think I know you…"

"You don't." Ghirahim said, now annoyed. The two heroes crouched on the ground continued their whispered debate in increasingly heated tones.

"Hmmmmmm… My name is Bucha, the kikwi elder. Come to think of it, you _all _look a little familiar. Do I know you, kweee?"

"What?" Link snapped to attention. "Oh, no! Must be a mistake, we've never met before, sir!"

_"How do you know it's a male?!" _Twi growled under his breath. Link blanched.

"Or… um… miss? M-mister? Oh, gosh, I'm so sorry…"

"Get. Up." Ghirahim snarled at the two. They sprang to their feet, Link still stammering apologies.

"Kwehee? Leaving so soon? But I haven't remembered who you are yet!" Bucha wobbled towards them.

"Never mind that. I already told you, my face is unforgettable! My visage would have been burned into your eyes if you had seen me before this!" Ghirahim irritably straightened Link's hat, which had fallen askew. Twi quickly fixed his own before Ghirahim could do the same to him.

"KWEEEEEEE!"

The three staggered in surprise at Bucha's exclamation. "And WHAT was that for?!" Ghirahim whirled, ready to gut the kikwi elder.

"I remember, kweee!" Bucha said happily. "Well, not you, but the ones wearing green! You look like the master swordsman from the sky!"

Ghirahim froze. Link and Twi didn't notice, distracted by the kikwi.

"Was his name Link, by any chance?" Link asked enthusiastically.

"…From the sky? Was he an oocca?" Twi snorted.

"What is an oocca, kweee kweee?"

"All of your nightmares combined into a singular entity- hey, Ghirahim, where are you going?!"

Ghirahim was storming away. Was it actually possible? He remembered something the little one had said before, about the Time Witch not only thinning the barriers between worlds, but time as well. Could they be…

He stopped as a familiar looking building appeared in the distance. Yes, there was no doubt. The temple was unmistakable. It was the same place that he, in an unstoppable rage, had entered after the sky child had used the power of the Goddesses to crush his master.

He heard heavy breathing and footsteps, and turned slowly to see Link and Twi swiftly approaching.

"Why'd you run off like that?" Link placed his hands on his hips. "He wasn't that annoying! He was pretty nice, actually! He didn't even get mad that we landed on him!"

"He must have said something to set you off." Twi cocked his head.

"…He did nothing. That was not what upset me." Ghirahim's voice was quiet and controlled. "This is my world."


	7. Chapter 7

"This is your world?!" Link gasped. Ghirahim made no response, feeling oddly numb. "Well, that's a good thing, isn't it? You can visit the people you knew and places you missed and-"

"Are you kidding?! There's no time for that!" Twi cried. "I'm no expert or anything, but if there's a barrier _here, _in the time where everything began, doesn't that mean the Time Witch has enough power to make it so we never existed to begin with?"

"…I wouldn't go that far." Link said after a tense pause. "To do that she'd have to be stronger than Demise, a god. Even if she did something to this time period, Demise's curse would continue the cycle of rebirth for the bearers of wisdom, power, and courage. That said, she does seem have the power to interfere with history. The question is… why hasn't she? Aside from blocking off random plots of land, she's done nothing drastic at all."

They turned to look at the barrier stretching into the sky. "What used to be there, Ghirahim?" Twi asked the oddly quiet demon lord.

"On the ground would be the Sealed Grounds, where my master was once imprisoned. Far above in the sky is the human city of Skyloft." Ghirahim shrugged. "Once again, there is nothing of value in either of these places. This Time Witch is exceedingly baffling."

"Um, Ghirahim? I'm really sorry." Link said suddenly, looking at his feet.

"Little one, you need to stop with the constant, unnecessary apologies." Ghirahim sighed.

"I am not constantly apologizing!" Link protested. "Right?" He quickly turned to Twi, who only coughed. "Well, whatever! You can't stop me, because I really am sorry! Because…" He hesitated. "We only ended up here because I didn't want to return to my own world."

Ghirahim blinked in surprise. "Is that what you were fretting about earlier? There's a barrier in your time?" Link nodded, abashed.

"Wait… I thought that your world was my world." Twi said, looking horribly confused.

"Not quite. In my original world, in order to defeat Ganondorf, my body was sealed in the Spirit Realm for seven years. After I sealed him away, Zelda, in an attempt to let me regain my lost childhood, sent me back in time… or so we thought. In reality, she caused a split in time, with me in what eventually became your world and my original time with no hero. I didn't learn until Skull Kid told me, but… eventually, with no hero to save it from Ganondorf, the Goddesses had no choice but to flood the whole thing so Ganondorf's dreams could never become a reality. I know it's really cowardly, but… I really don't want to face my old friends again, knowing that I didn't save their world."

There was a long silence. Finally, Ghirahim exhaled. "Little one…"

"Yes?" Link asked worriedly.

Ghirahim's hand shot out and yanked Link's hat down over his eyes. "If you ever say "I'm sorry" again for something that obviously wasn't your fault, I will take us straight back to the puppy's world, stick you back in that cannon, and leave you there!"

"LINK!"

They all flinched at the sound, turning towards the unfamiliar voice and running footsteps. With a crash, a man with a red pompadour burst out of the bushes, eyes fixed on Twi. "Buddy! I've been looking _everywhere _for you! Come on, we need to get to the Groosenator and GWAHH!"

Twi's fist had shot out, striking the strange man directly in the face and causing him to crumple to the ground, unconscious.

"Why did you DO that?!" Link yelped. Twi looked incredibly flustered.

"I didn't mean to! I panicked! He came right at me!" He protested.

"It's your fault for being so jumpy all the time! It's one thing that you attacked me when I was invisible, but this is just a regular guy! Do you punch out the mailman when he tries to give you a letter, too?!"

"Only twice! And the second time was his own fault!"

"I think I KNOW this man!" Ghirahim announced abruptly.

"What?!" Both heroes turned as Ghirahim rolled the unconscious redhead over with his foot.

"Yes, I'm sure of it!" Ghirahim said enthusiastically. "This repulsive creature is one of the sky child's obnoxious friends! It seems we finally have a lead. Once he wakes up we can torture him for information on the sky child's whereabouts, and then-"

"OR we can just ask him nicely." Link crossed his arms. "He might not like you, but he has no reason not to talk to us."

"Except for the fact that the puppy assaulted him, you mean."

"I told you, it was an accident!"

"You have my thanks, monster, for falling for my ingenious plan!" The man was no longer laying prone at their feet but instead stood in a heroic pose a few yards away.

"What- how did you-" Ghirahim sputtered.

"I feigned unconsciousness, naturally! It'd take more than a limp-wristed slap to the face to fell the mighty Groose, after all!"

Twi bristled. "I'm with Ghirahim. Let's torture him for information."

"Nooo! We're heroes! Heroes don't torture people!" Link stomped his foot.

"It doesn't matter!" Groose said proudly. "I'd never reveal Link's location, no matter what you did to me!"

Ghirahim glowered. "Is that a challenge?"

"Nope! It's a fact! Because I have no idea where he is."

The two heroes and the sword spirit stared at him with a combination of exasperation, bewilderment, and rage.

"Back to square one, I suppose." Link sighed. "So much for getting rid of that barrier. I guess we'll have to-"

"Wait! You're trying to get rid of that thing too, squirt?!" Groose cried.

"Um, yes, we all are." Link pointed to Ghirahim. "Him too. He works for me now that his other master is dead, so he isn't a bad guy anymore."

"Well, why didn't you say so earlier?" Groose roughly ruffled Links hair. "That means we're on the same side! Team Groose VS the Anti Groose Death Wall!"

"Joy." Twi growled.

"I've never been so happy." Ghirahim snarled.

"You should be! As members of Team Groose, you are allowed insider information, including the location of my first lieutenant Link!"

"…I thought you didn't know where he was." Link said, clumsily trying to fix his hat. Ghirahim strode over to him and briskly did it himself, looking annoyed.

"Well, yeah and no. See, before he left, he said to me, "Groose my friend, maybe brute force is the best way to handle this. I'm off to pick up some especially potent bombs for the Groosenator-""

"The what?" Ghriahim asked incredulously.

"The _Groosenator._" Groose gestured at what appeared to be a large catapult by the temple entrance. "Anyways, he was off to see something called Mogmas. Apparently they're experts in bombs or something. Problem is, I have no clue where Mogmas live."

"You're quite certain he said Mogmas?" Ghirahim clarified. Groose nodded. "That is all I needed to know. We'll be taking care of things from here. I can assure you that the Groosimagator would not be able to handle that barrier, so you may as well stop trying."

"Groosenator." Groose corrected, looking sulky.

"Whatever."

"Thanks for the information, Mr. Groose!" Link sang.

"…Sorry for punching you in the face." Twi muttered. "You should probably put ice on that, by the way. It's starting to swell."

Groose only grinned and waved as they teleported away.

The sudden feeling of heat was almost staggering. Wincing, Link and Twi peered around at their surroundings.

"Little one, puppy, welcome to the delightful Eldin Volcano." Ghirahim declared with a flourish.

The two instantly let out loud groans. Ghirahim was surprised. "What? You don't like it here?"

"Uh, do you?" Twi asked, tugging at the chainmail underneath his tunic irritably.

"As a matter of fact, yes. I had a section of my Bokoblin army stationed here for quite some time, and I grew attached. There are a great deal of resources here. Why on earth do you dislike it?"

"Because there's _always _a temple in places like this." Link wined. "Like, underwater temples are a huge pain too, but that makes sense. The Zoras _live _underwater, of course they're going to build their temples there. But why would anyone put a temple inside an active volcano?!"

"In my world, it was because it was a Goron mine, and apparently lava doesn't bother Gorons too much." Twi rolled his eyes. "Makes no sense to me, but I guess if what they were mining for was important, I can't be too mad."

"It was probably food. Gorons eat rocks, you know." Link said seriously. Twi's eyes narrowed.

"…On second thought, I guess I can be mad. They can eat rocks, but the damn gourmets have to have them from a sweltering, face-melting volcano?"

Ghirahim chuckled. "My, my, I'd forgotten how fragile humans are. Anything slightly above or below room temperature and you whine like children."

To Twi's surprise, instead of arguing, Link nodded. "I guess it is pretty lame. Maybe I should turn into a Goron while we're here."

Twi gawked. "You can do that?!" Link looked confused.

"I didn't tell you?" When Twi shook his head, Link shrugged. "Well, I can turn into a Zora and a Deku Scrub too, but those wouldn't be helpful at all here."

"You know, I've never actually seen a Goron." Ghirahim said with a grin, folding his arms. "Go ahead, this should prove to be amusing."

Link reached into his bag and pulled out another one of his silly masks and put it on. The reaction was immediate. Link's body contorted in a disturbing manner, and with a flash of light…

"NO." Ghirahim looked both livid and nauseous. "Take that off NOW."

"But it's so much cooler now!" Link protested in a jarring, deep voice. Twi only stared, seemingly unable to comprehend the image of his young master as a massive rock creature with a now goofy looking green hat perched on his head and (thankfully) a green loincloth wrapped around his waist.

"MASK. OFF. NOW. So repulsive I may DIE." Ghirahim bit out.

"That's mean! I know plenty of wonderful and kind hearted Gorons." Link pointed accusatorily at Ghirahim. "You're just too shallow to see past appearances! And this form isn't that ugly, it's just kind of big boned!"

Ghirahim's eyes pointedly flicked from Links face to his large, protruding belly.

"You're so judgmental." Link pouted. In his normal form, it would have been adorable. As he was it was mildly terrifying. "Fine, I guess I'll just suffer through the heat because Ghirahim is a huge jerk." He pulled off the mask with another flash of light.

"You may call me whatever names you wish, little one. Just never make me bear witness to _that _again." Ghirahim sighed, laying a hand over his heart. Twi rolled his eyes.

"It wasn't flattering, but it wasn't that bad. No need to be a drama queen about it."

"So," Link stood on his toes. "Where exactly do these Mogma things live?"

Ghirahim opened his mouth, but hesitated for a second. "Here. Obviously."

Twi and Link eyed him suspiciously. "Don't tell me…" Twi began.

"Oh, hush, you!" Ghirahim put his hands on his hips. "Mogmas live underground! Do I look like I can burrow? How would I know where they live?"

"Well, the other Link must be meeting them somehow…" Link mused. "Is there any place where the Mogmas have a tendency to hang around?"

Ghirahim's eyes lit up. "As a matter of fact, yes! I remember receiving numerous reports about some Mogmas poking around near the temple! Mogmas adore treasure, so with a temple now cleared of monsters…"

"Then some of them are probably still scavenging there!" Link finished enthusiastically.

"No need for more teleportation, it's just this way." Ghirahim smoothly took the lead. Link and Twi did their best to match his brisk pace, but the heat was clearly taking a toll on them, particularly Twi with his chainmail.

"You doing okay?" Link asked, concerned.

"I'll be fine." Twi muttered. "Trust me, the Goron mine was much worse than this, and I lived through that."

"That is pretty impressive, considering you don't know magic." Link smiled. "I usually cheat with enchanted tunics and my masks. You just deal with this sort of thing."

"Well, I have some enchanted tunics of my own, but one of them is for breathing underwater and the other one eats my rupees, so I never use it."

"…It eats rupees?" Link had a flashback to the children in the carriage. _Protect yourself with your wallet and buy today! _"So that's what that kid meant."

"Ah hell, did Malo try to sell you stuff? I'm sorry about that. His stuff is priced good but he really doesn't know when to lay off." Twi sighed, looking almost embarrassed. Before Link could respond, Ghirahim froze and held up his hand in a shushing gesture.

Link and Twi crept closer to see what had stopped Ghirahim. Not far away were two strange, mole-like creatures with distinctive hair. Lying flat on his stomach and speaking to them was this world's Link. He had his back to them, but his green tunic was instantly recognizable.

"…And that's why it might be a problem." One of the Mogmas shrugged. "I can breed bomb plants like that, sure, no biggie. But trying to carry 'em is a whole different story. One jostle and you'd be sent sky high, bud!"

"I tried to tell Groose that they'd be too volatile. He just wouldn't listen to me, though. He's so worried about everyone that I decided to humor him, but I really don't know what I should do now."

"Aw, buck up there!" The other Mogma encouraged. "You can do anything! You dropped a big ol' statue down right outta the sky! You'll figure this out, I'm sure of it."

There was the sound of quiet laughter. "If only this could be solved as easily as that problem was. My companion always knew exactly what I should do, so I never really struggled with anything." He stood, dusting off his tunic. "I'm very sorry for wasting your time. I'd better get-"

"AAAGH! BUD! B-BEHIND YOU! IT'S THAT GUY AGAIN!"

"SORRY, WE'RE OUTTA HERE!"

The two Mogmas retreated underground as the other Link spun around to see Ghirahim. Sky blue eyes widened in shock.

"It's been quite some time, sky chil-"

The other Link's arm shot out, and his shield smashed hard into Ghirahim's face.

"You _little brat! _Who _throws _their shield?!"

"Someone who doesn't have their sword with them?" The other Link said nervously, edging away.

"I… I beg your pardon?" Ghirahim was dumbfounded.

"Well, I forgot it at the academy, and then the barrier appeared…" The other Link looked deeply flustered. "I mean, you'd want a fair fight for your revenge, right? So, maybe you could come back…later…?"

Ghirahim only stared.

"Also, how is it that you're alive? I could have sworn I killed you. Or Demise did. But I shouldn't talk about him, should I? I'd assume you're still mad about the whole… killing him… thing."

Ghirahim snapped his fingers, summoning multiple daggers.

"Ghirahim, stop!" Link leapt forward and grabbed his arm.

"What are you, stupid?!" Twi snarled. "You think we're getting help from him if you skewer him?"

The other Link, at the sight of them, jolted in surprise so hard that he stumbled and fell. "W-what?!" He yelped. "That's not… how is that…"

"Take it easy!" Link ran to his side. "We aren't your enemies, promise! Even Ghirahim! He just got a little crabby, that's all!"

The other Link didn't respond. He seemed to be focusing on trying not to hyperventilate.

"Damn it, don't go into shock or something!" Twi cried. "We're here about that barrier! The one you and Goose are trying to get rid of!"

"Groose." The other Link corrected, clutching his heart. "And were you expecting me to react calmly to this? Because I highly doubt that anyone would react calmly to this."

"Please." Ghirahim sniffed. "You've always been as jumpy as a rabbit." The demon lord slammed the other Link's shield down hard on the ground next to him. He flinched before looking at Ghirahim.

"…Your nose is bleeding." He said quietly. Ghirahim glowered at him. Looking away again, he continued, "I'm assuming that this has something to do with Demise's curse and time travel?"

"How did you know that?" Link looked surprised. The other Link grinned wryly.

"Nothing else makes sense. Not that this actually makes sense. I'm rambling, aren't I?"

"It's normal!" Link soothed. Ghirahim mimed vomiting, making Twi roll his eyes. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot! Before we do anything, we need to give you a nickname so this doesn't get confusing."

The other Link rose an eyebrow. "…Are you also named Link?"

"Yeah. He is too. We call him Twi, though. Oh wait…" Link hesitated. "Maybe I should get the nickname. I mean, you're the original! It would be really arrogant of me to-"

"I don't mind. Call me whatever you like."

"Seriously?" Twi snorted. "He named me _Twi. _You know it'll sound dumb, right?"

"What's wrong with Twi? I think it sounds nice."

Twi gaped at him before turning to Ghirahim. Ghirahim didn't say anything, just gave him a pointed look.

"Really?! You like it?" Link asked happily. "Well then, since Ghirahim calls you sky child, I'll call you Sky! Because you live in the sky, and your eyes are the color of the sky, and because it rhymes with Twi!" He looked positively triumphant.

The newly dubbed Sky smiled back. "Makes perfect sense to me!"

Ghirahim and Twi could only groan.


	8. Chapter 8

"I have to admit, I'm a bit confused." Sky said after he had calmed down enough to properly gather his thoughts. "I thought that the Gate of Time only connected this era to one other specific time. How is it that all three of you are clearly from different times, and how has this not had a cataclysmic effect on time itself?"

"Well, first, we didn't use the Gate of Time." Link shrugged. "I brought us here by following the energy of the barrier. Second, Ghirahim and I are actually from the same time. And third, all of this happened because of someone called the Time Witch. Just like the name implies, she has the power to manipulate time. This Time Witch's actions have most likely caused an alternate timeline to form, which is why there haven't been any horrible repercussions."

Sky nodded thoughtfully. "So in other words, there is, theoretically, a timeline where the Time Witch never interfered, and we never met."

Link beamed. "Exactly!"

"Didn't understand a word of that." Twi sighed.

"It doesn't matter." Ghirahim sneered. "All of this was for nothing."

Link looked confused. "Why would you say that?"

"The whole reason we bothered to track down the sky child was to gather more information on the Time Witch and the barriers. Seeing as how he thought that he could blow up the barrier with _bomb flowers-_"

"-That was Groose's idea, not mine."

"-And considering he knew _nothing _of the Time Witch, he is useless. So may I kill him now?"

"No killing, ever!" Link glared. "Unless it's bad guys, which he isn't."

"Even if I say please?"

"_No!_"

"Actually… something about the title of Time Witch is really familiar to me." Sky mused.

"Wait, seriously?" Twi's eyes widened.

"Yes! I remember now! About a year ago, I was exploring Lanayru Desert at the request of one of my professors at the academy. The desert was once home to a very advanced civilization, and I was asked to record any information I could find that might help us to understand them. One of the things I found was what appeared to be a shrine. On one of the walls was what I assumed to be a prayer or historical text of some sort in an ancient form of Hylian. We couldn't decipher it completely, but we were able to translate two words; "time", and a variant of the word magic that we theorized was another word for "witch"."

Ghirahim scowled and crossed his arms. "And how does that help us? Your beloved academy is behind that barrier, along with your translation!"

"It helps because I can take you to the shrine I found." A little smile formed on Sky's face. "Coincidentally, I think you need me _alive _to show you where it is, right?"

"…You really are a little brat. It wasn't long ago that merely being in my presence was enough to throw you into a panic. When and _why _did you suddenly decide to grow a spine?!"

Sky laughed. "I still am panicking, honestly. I've gotten better at hiding it, though. Having the Triforce also helps."

"Wait, you have the whole Triforce?!" Twi cried. "That's not fair, I got locked away for protection for just having _two _pieces!"

Sky shrugged. "Your time must be more dangerous than mine. Nobody's suggested anything like that to me."

"Considering they let you leave without a sword, yeah, this place must be pretty lax!" Link said thoughtfully. "I can't even leave town without my sword where I'm from."

Sky looked embarrassed at this. "Okay, that was my own fault. My professors would be pretty peeved if they knew I was on the surface with only my shield and my sailcloth… And Zelda would probably push me off a cliff. Again."

"Blah blah blah, this is all very _interesting_." Ghirahim interrupted. "Now perhaps we can go take care of what we came here for? Unless someone else has a charming story from their past that they'd like to regale us with?"

"Stop being so grumpy, Ghirahim." Link huffed. "That's Twi's job."

"Hey!"

"Besides, I know you're mad because Sky killed Demise, but if you think about it, Ganondorf is Demise's descendant, and Twi and I have both killed him. Well, he came back, but still, we killed him. So if you're going to be mad, be mad at us too!"

"Little one, you logic is as flawed as ever. How will my being angry at you and the puppy make me _less _angry at the sky child?"

Link was quiet for a few seconds before smiling brightly at Sky, deciding to ignore Ghirahim's question entirely. "So, should we get moving? Where's this desert you mentioned?"

"Pretty far, actually, especially on foot. Normally I'd fly there, but I don't think my loftwing can carry all of us…"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous." Ghirahim sighed. "I can easily teleport us there." He started forward before hesitating. "…Wait a moment…"

"What's wrong?" Twi looked impatient. "Forget something?"

"Of course not. Unlike these two," he gestured at Link and Sky, "I am no scatterbrain. It's just that I'm uncertain how I'm going to teleport all three of us at once."

Link nodded, a look of understanding dawning on his face. "That's right, you have to be in contact with us to teleport us with you. How are we going to manage that with three of us?"

After a few moments of irritable fumbling, they finally managed to get in a position where Ghirahim was in contact with all three heroes while still having a free hand to snap his fingers, with his left arm linked with Twi's and his right arm gripping Sky's wrist while his elbow rested on Link's head.

"Wow, we look so dumb right now." Twi sighed as Ghirahim fumed silently. Today really wasn't his day.

.

.

.

The heat was certainly less miserable in the desert than it had been at the volcano, but it was still uncomfortably warm.

"It's so bright!" Link shielded his eyes, "I've never been to a desert this big or bright before!"

"Be very careful, and watch your steps." Sky cautioned. "There's quicksand everywhere here, and it can be extremely dangerous if you get lost."

Link and Twi both grimaced at that. Ghirahim laughed. "Oh, relax, you two. As long as you follow us closely and don't wander off it shouldn't be a problem."

"That's right!" Sky encouraged.

Ghirahim scowled. "Don't agree with me."

"What? B-but you were…" Sky's words faltered in the face of Ghirahim's glare. "Alright, I'll just… lead the way then…"

Twi frowned. "Ghirahim, we might be traveling together for a while. You could at least pretend to be civil so that it isn't so agonizing for the rest of us."

Ghirahim sneered at him. "Are you really one to lecture me on politeness, puppy? I seem to be having a flashback of a certain someone punching that pompadour-spouting idiot in the face just for enthusiastically approaching."

"For the last time, that was an _accident! _I said sorry already!"

"Aw, you punched Groose?" Sky called from his spot in the front of the party. "He's not a bad guy, I'm sure he wasn't mad. Granted, he is a bit overbearing, and has a tendency to put words in your mouth, and names everything after himself, and gets a little too close when he talks to you, and-"

"You guys sound like really good friends." Link said happily. Sky glanced back with a look of surprise.

"…I suppose we are, aren't we? We weren't always though. For years he hated me because he thinks Zelda and I are an item, and he has a huge crush on her."

"Are you?" Twi smirked.

"Um, maybe? I honestly don't know. I always get really mixed signals from her. She'll be flirty and cute one second, and then immediately after she pushes me off a cliff."

"She doesn't _actually _push you off cliffs, does she?" Link worried. "Like, you're exaggerating, right?"

"Nope. She does it on a regular basis. Sometime she pushes me right off of Skyloft. Why?"

Behind his back, Link and Twi exchanged horrified looks as Ghirahim fought hard to hold back laughter at the idea of the reincarnated Hylia being somewhat of a sociopath. It almost made him like the girl. _Almost._

Sky, looking somewhat miffed that nobody had answered him, pointed to a structure looming in the distance. "You can see the shrine from here."

Link looked expectantly at Ghirahim, causing him to snort. "No way. I'm not teleporting us again unless I have to. A little walking won't kill you anyways, little one."

"Are you calling me fat?!"

"Would you prefer big boned?"

"What's wrong with you?! This body is _ten years old!_ It's natural for me to be a little pudgy! I know for a fact that I grow out of it in a few years!"

"_This _body?" Sky repeated, bewildered, eyeing the child who wasn't actually pudgy in the slightest. Twi shook his head at him.

"Time travel stuff. Don't even get him started, please. For my sake."

"I can also transform with my masks!" Link chirped, anger leaving as quickly as it had come. "Want to see?"

"NO. He does NOT." Ghirahim snarled.

"You're never any fun!"

"I could say the same to you! You never let me kill anyone, even when they deserve it!"

"Um…" Sky tentatively tried to interrupt.

"Murder is never the answer, Ghirahim."

"Murder is _always _the answer, little one."

"Guys? Guys! We're here!" Sky raised his voice.

The shrine was clearly ancient, but it was beautiful in a haunting way. There wasn't much inside aside from a large alter for burning incenses and the wall behind it with the ancient Hylian script that they had been looking for.

"Wow, you weren't kidding." Link breathed. "This is a really old style of writing. I can't make out a single word."

"I wouldn't doubt it." Ghirahim murmured. "This was long before your time, little one. This script was nearly outdated in my own era. I'm surprised that this shrine has been preserved for this long."

"So you can read it?" Sky asked enthusiastically. "What does it say?"

"Nothing that you'd understand, sky child." A triumphant smile grew on Ghirahim's face. "It's a spell."

"No way." Link's eyes were alight. "So this is-"

"A spell that will take us to the Time Witch's world." Ghirahim nodded.

"Goddesses." Twi breathed. "We actually did it! We can finally save Agitha!"

"And everyone at the academy!" Sky added.

"Do you think you can perform the spell, Ghirahim?" Link asked. "I can't read it, and you've never used magic to go to another world or time before…"

Ghirahim thoughtfully examined the spell for a few moments. "Yes." He said decidedly. "This spell is very descriptive. It seems to have been written in case of an emergency, so it's easy enough for an amateur to use. But before we go, we need a plan."

"Plan?" Link repeated.

"_Yes,_ little one. We need to go undercover once we arrive, after all."

"Why would we need to do that?" Twi frowned.

Ghirahim sighed impatiently. "Because, even after all of this, we _still _don't know the Time Witch's motive. We don't know how much power she has, or who is working for her. We need to ascertain her goals, abilities, and allies before we do _anything _to attract attention to ourselves. Understand?"

"Is it reasonable to assume that there is an incarnation of us in the Time Witch's world?" Sky mused. "Because if so, we should probably have disguises of some sort. Multiple Links would definitely attract attention."

"Right." Twi unbuckled his sheathed sword and handed it to Sky.

"W-wait, won't you…?"

"Nah, I don't need it. Besides, you forgot your sword, right?"

"But what if you're in danger?" Sky protested.

Twi rolled his eyes. His form darkened, and he reappeared as a wolf.

Sky flinched in surprise. "You could have warned me that you were going to do that!" Twi just sat down and yawned.

"Ok, little one, your turn. Disguise yourself. NO MASKS."

Link scowled at the sword spirit. "I wasn't going to, anyway. Gorons, Zoras, and Deku Scrubs all have environmental weaknesses. I'm going to use…" He rummaged through his bag and pulled out a yellow fox-like mask. "This!"

"I said no-"

"Oh, calm down. This is one of the few masks I own that doesn't actually do anything. See?" He put it on. "Just a regular mask that a kid would wear. Nobody will suspect a thing!"

Twi gave him a flat, disbelieving look that Link chose to ignore.

Ghirahim groaned. "We'll be lucky if that doesn't attract _more _attention."

"Whatever, its Sky's turn!" Link looked at Sky expectantly. "What are you going to use as a disguise?"

"I have no idea." Sky shrugged helplessly. "All I have on me right now is my shield and sailcloth, remember?" He reached into his bag and pulled out a white cloth with an emblem woven into it. "Not much for a disguise."

"How about…" Link took the sailcloth from Sky. "Crouch down, please!" As Sky obligingly did so, Link threw the sailcloth over his head, tugging two corners through Sky's chainmail and fashioning a makeshift hooded cloak. "It'll probably get in your way a bit in battle, but at least your face is hidden, right?"

Ghirahim examined Link's handiwork. "Not too shabby, little one. Certainly a better disguise than yours."

"My disguise is great! Stop harping on that already!"

Ghirahim grinned wickedly. "Well, this is it. Time to pay the Witch a little visit."


	9. Chapter 9

"Everybody, fan out and search the area." Lana commanded her soldiers. "The Gate of Souls must be around here somewhere."

Her soldiers immediately obeyed her orders, having no doubts in her leadership. Lana wished she was as confident in herself as they were in her. They seemed to think of her as infallible; she was a witch, after all, and they had witnessed her magic firsthand. She had tried voicing her concerns to the others, hoping Link might accompany her to the Land of Twilight, but they had laughed off her worries and insisted she would do fine on her own.

Well, that wasn't the only reason she had hoped Link would come with her. She had no doubts that they would find Princess Zelda soon, and the moment they did she could say goodbye to the idea of having the opportunity to be alone with the hero. Not that she had anything nefarious planned, she just… wanted to spend some time with him, maybe even become his friend. But it was probably better this way. After all, getting to know him might just make the inevitable rejection hurt even more. She sighed heavily.

The sound of footsteps drew near, and she quickly adjusted her face into her usual bright, cheery smile, not wanting to worry her men. "What is it, captain?" She asked the leader, who seemed a bit flustered.

"Well, commander, you wouldn't believe this, but… well, our base was attacked just moments ago."

"What?!" Lana's happy façade dissipated instantly. "Which base? I'll take care of-"

"That's just the thing, commander." The captain said quickly. "It already was taken care of. A little boy dressed in green and wearing a mask wiped the monsters out in seconds."

Lana was dumbfounded. "A-are you joking? A child? In _seconds?!" _

The captain shook his head. "I wouldn't joke about something like that, commander. It was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. And then, once he mops the floor with the monsters, he asks us if we know anything about a Time Witch." Lana froze. "I told him I'd never heard of such a thing, and he thanked me and ran off before I could stop him."

"…It's possible he may have been referring to Cia." Lana said slowly. "Before she was known as the Black Witch, she was called the Time Witch. But an ordinary child shouldn't know something like that…"

"With all due respect, commander," the captain said seriously, "a little boy who can use a sword that's almost as big as he is isn't ordinary. Should we pursue him?"

"No." Lana decided. "I'll look for him. You and the men need to keep looking for the Gate of Souls. Which way did the boy go?"

"He was headed to the southwest, I believe."

"Ok, I'll take care of it. Be careful, captain!" Lana took off running, heart hammering. _"__Time Witch" is what we were called when Cia and I were… But I haven't told anybody about that! How would a child know? Maybe he works for Cia... No that doesn't make any sense. If he worked for her he wouldn't have protected my men…_

The sounds of combat snapped her abruptly out of her thoughts, and she spotted the boy fighting with another horde of monsters. Summoning one of her magic cubes, she shoved them off a nearby cliff in a single blow.

"Wow! That was really cool, lady!" The child cried, sheathing his sword.

Lana allowed herself a grin. "I guess I am kind of cool, huh? You aren't too bad yourself. I wanted to thank you for saving my men."

"Oh, you're a soldier? It wasn't any problem."

"Well, I'm in charge of the soldiers, but I'm not really… never mind. What's with that mask you're wearing, kid?"

The boy touched it, as if to confirm what she meant. "Oh, this? Um, nothing. I mean, all the kids around here wear stuff like this. It's a trend. You're cool, right? You know what I mean!"

"O-of course I know what you mean!" Lana put her hands on her hips. "I made this outfit myself, after all! Anyways, kid-"

"My name's Mido!"

Lana nodded, smiling. "Ok then, Mido. I was wondering if you know anything about something called a Gate of Souls. It's very important I find it."

Mido cocked his head to the side. "That sounds familiar, but I can't really place it, sorry. Why are you looking for it, lady?"

"Lana."

"Nice to meet you, Lana! Why're you looking for it?"

Lana was quiet for a moment. "Well, I can't really tell you all of the details, but if I leave the Gate of Souls open, bad things could happen to this place, which is why I need to close it as soon as possible." She sighed. "You should probably get out of here, Mido. You're strong, but this is no place for a child."

"DON'T SQUISH MEEE! EEEEK!"

Lana whirled in the direction of the voice. "A little girl?! Mido, stay-" she turned back to him, but he had already taken off running towards the sound of the voice. "ACK! Come back here!" She wailed. "Oh gosh, I'm so bad with kids!"

He was fast, but so was Lana. Unfortunately for her, it seemed they were so evenly matched in speed that while she wasn't losing him, she certainly wasn't gaining on him, and she didn't know enough about the surrounding geography to be able to take a shorter route and cut him off. Now that she was seeing him from behind and was no longer distracted by the silly yellow mask he wore, she realized that his clothing was astoundingly similar to Link's, minus the elegant scarf Link always wore. _Maybe they're related?!_ She thought. _It would explain his swordsmanship, that's for sure…_ _It can't be another incarnation of the hero, I'm certain of that. Cia would never be so stupid to let something like that happen when she summoned pieces from other worlds. Her plans would be foiled in an instant._

"Look out!" Mido cried, stopping so suddenly he stumbled and fell. Lana promptly tripped over him, scraping her hands. It was lucky she tripped, because the moment she did a massive butterfly whizzed overhead, taking out several monsters in the process.

"What was that?!" She shrieked, hauling Mido to his feet.

"My butterfly friend!" A voice sang. "Sorry she almost squished you, she was just worried about me, that's all!"

Lana knew her own clothes weren't exactly conventional, and Mido looked downright goofy with his mask, but the girl who stepped out from her hiding spot was beyond odd, with fake butterfly wings, big clunky heeled shoes, and bizarre eye makeup.

"Wait a second!" Mido cried. "Are you Agitha?"

The girl turned her head this way and that. "Yes, I'm the Bug Princess Agitha, but I don't believe we've met before. I'd definitely remember someone who dresses like a cute little aphid, that's for sure!"

"Ok, you two!" Lana said firmly. "This is _no place for kids._ You guys are tougher than you look, but I have an army to lead, and I need to find the Gate of Souls, so-"

"Oh, I have just the thing!" Agitha said happily, reaching into her picnic basket. "My lovely little Goddess Butterfly can take you anywhere, as long as you ask her nicely! Isn't that right, lil' butterfly?"

"A-are you serious?" Lana asked disbelievingly. "Well, that'd be really helpful, actually. But you have to listen to me! You two can't be older than ten, and this is a war! Please, get to somewhere… safe… Oh my Goddesses. They just ran off after that butterfly. It's like they can't even _hear _me!" Furiously, Lana sprinted to a group of her men who were approaching. "Okay, guys, good and bad news. The good news is, we have a way to find the Gate of Souls."

"That's great, commander!" The captain cheered. "We knew we could count on you!"

"Yeah, well, the bad news is that the ones who are leading us to it are two little kids! Two supernaturally strong little kids, but still. We need to protect them no matter what, understood?"

The soldiers nodded, and they all began running towards where Lana had seen Mido and Agitha last. Luckily, it didn't take long at all to find them, because a massive horde of monsters seemed intent on stopping the children in their tracks.

"Stop trying to hurt Miss Butterfly!" Agitha wailed, smacking a monster on the head with her lace parasol.

Lana smashed the monster with her cube magic. "This is why you can't just go running off on your own! No matter how strong you are, by yourself you can get overwhelmed!"

The moment the words left her lips, the Goddess Butterfly began to flutter away, and the two infuriating children unthinkingly followed after. Lana's soldiers acted quickly, grabbing the pair.

"Good work, men!" Lana cheered. "Don't let go of those two! Let's follow that butterfly!"

"Put me dowwnn!" Mido yowled.

"How nice of you to give me a piggy back ride!" Agitha cooed.

In the commotion, they had fallen behind the Goddess Butterfly. Feet hammered the ground, trying to keep up with the determined little insect before it suddenly became motionless, as if it were trapped in an invisible cage.

"Magic!" Lana hissed. "Back, everyone! Stay back!"

A figure floated out of the shadows, grinning menacingly. "What a funny sight. Look at all these armored soldiers chasing after a silly little bug. I don't normally associate with humans, but I just _had _to know what this is all about."

_A Twili? _Lana was shocked. _That means Cia summoned a portion of the Twilight Realm! Even so, this creature shouldn't be able to exist in the world of light… What's going on?_

"It's not just a bug!" Agitha squirmed out of the soldiers grip, pushing her way to the front of the group. "It's a very rare species of butterfly! They're quite magical. They can sense hidden things and will flock around buried artifacts! They also enjoy music and are all blue, but some can be darker or lighter hues of blue. This one, as you can see, is a pretty cobalt blue! Isn't she lovely?"

The imp's grin was fading to be replaced by a look of boredom. "…Is that so."

"Yes! And the most wonderful thing about Goddess Butterflies is that they can lead you to anything! As long as it exists, anyways. Aren't they just the greatest?"

The imp perked up at that. "Wait, did you say they can lead you to anything?"

Agitha nodded enthusiastically. Lana began to feel worried.

"Look, I don't know what you're planning, but we need that butterfly to-"

"Hey, butterfly!" The imp commanded. "Take me to that ugly witch who's hiding around here somewhere!"

The butterfly was released from its magical prison and it shot off towards its new destination, the Twili in pursuit.

"Hey, did you say "witch"?!" Mido cried, pulling out of the soldiers grip. "Wait up!" Before anyone could stop him he was chasing after the imp.

_"Damn_ it!" Lana uncharacteristically swore. Nothing was going right today. She really was a failure. "Captain, get Agitha out of here, the rest of you come with me and we'll handle these monsters."

"What about the boy and the imp?" One of the soldiers asked.

"Just leave them! We can handle them after these monsters are gone!"

"But Miss Kitty has my Goddess Butterfly!" Agitha looked perilously close to tears. "What if my butterfly friend gets hurt? And what about Lil' Aphid?"

Lana sighed. "Okay, you know what? You can come, Agitha. I shouldn't treat you like a civilian just because of your age, you're clearly able to take care of yourself. But _please _follow my orders, and don't run off on your own, understand?"

Agitha hugged her around her waist. "Oh, thank you! I pinky promise I'll follow all of your orders!"

"Alright men, our first job is to take the enemy keeps! Let's move!"

The work taking out the monsters was exhausting, and it wasn't helped by the fact that the Twili had somehow summoned patches of Twilight, hindering Lana and her soldiers' movements.

"I might be able to dispel this darkness if I can find that imp." Lana told Agitha, who was determinedly sticking by her side. "But where could she be hiding? I don't suppose you have another one of those butterflies, do you?"

Agitha shook her head. "Like I said, they're very rare! But you know, Miss Kitty said she was looking for a mean witch, right?"

Lana shifted uncomfortably. "I suppose so. Why?"

"Well, I've been here for a while, and there's this one place I never go because someone tries to light me on fire like a poor little ant every time I get near! Do you think that maybe that's where the mean witch lives?"

"It's the best lead we have." Lana said grimly. "Lead the way, Agitha!"

"Yep, yep, no problem! We're right by it, actually! See, it's- Eeek! Lil' Aphid?!"

They had rounded a corner to see Mido nearly being crushed by the now enraged Twili while the Goddess Butterfly fluttered around aimlessly. "_You!_ You're on her side, aren't you?!"

"No I'm not!" Mido dodged a boulder that the imp hurled at him with her hair. "Calm down, Midna!"

"Don't call me by my name!" She hissed. "I only told you because I thought you were on my side, but apparently you aren't!"

"I am! Really! That was an accident, I swear!" Mido protested. "How was I supposed to know she'd just run away? I thought she'd fight back!"

"Please don't hurt Lil' Aphid!" Agitha wailed. "Also, can I have my butterfly friend back, Miss Kitty? Pretty please?"

Midna exasperatedly threw her hands in the air. "Sure! Fine! Take the damn butterfly! Take it and run to your ugly witch friend and tell her that I'll kill her eventually, she can't run forever!"

"Wait, wait! This is all a huge misunderstanding. We aren't her allies! See for yourself, we cleared out all of her monsters from this area." Lana placated. "We're trying to stop Cia, and if you are too, that means we're on the same side!"

Midna blinked in surprise. "We're allies?"

"That's what I've been saying all along!" Mido huffed. "I really am sorry about her running off, but I think she would have done the same thing if you had reached her first instead of me, Midna."

Midna groaned. "Yeah, I know, you're right kid. I just got so angry… It's just that this isn't what I really look like, and this isn't even a fraction of my true power. I'm royalty, for goodness sake! That witch… Cia, you said her name was? She cursed me, and now I'm stuck like this. The worst thing is, I was cursed just like this a long time ago. It's like she's making fun of me, and it just makes me so MAD!"

Lana placed a comforting hand on the Twili's small shoulder. "If you stick with us, you're bound to run into her again. Now that we have the Goddess Butterfly back, we can track her down no matter where she runs."

"Really? You mean that?" Midna looked hopeful. "Well, I guess I wouldn't mind hanging around for a little while…"

"Agitha is coming, too!" Agitha said cheerfully. "Wherever my butterfly is going, I'm going too!"

"Me too!" Mido chimed in. Lana glowered at the boy. She was reluctant to let him accompany them with all the trouble he had caused, but he really was strong. Maybe if she kept Mido around, she could get him to tell her how he knew about the "Time Witch". She'd have to be careful not to make him suspicious, but it could work.

"Now listen here, Mido. Agitha can come along because she's _promised _to listen to me. You can only come if you do the same, alright? An army is like a team, and there's no I in TEAM. Understand?"

Mido sighed, and Lana felt certain that underneath his silly mask he was rolling his eyes at her. "Okay, okay, I won't go off on my own next time."

"Good!" Lana smiled, glad that she had finally gotten the two wild children under control. Unbeknownst to her, however, the boy whose name she thought was Mido had his fingers crossed behind his back.


	10. Chapter 10

"Why…" Ruto groaned. "Of all the places I had to end up, why _here? _It's so HOT! Do you HEAR me?! I'M ROYALTY, I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW!"

The two Goron guards just walked past her cell, ignoring her entirely. Ruto crossed her arms grumpily. How could so many things possibly go wrong in only one day?

"Ruto? Is that you?"

Ruto felt her heart swell with hope as a familiar blue fairy tentatively peeked through the bars at her. "Navi! Oh, thank goodness, a friendly face… unless you've spontaneously lost your mind as well?"

The little fairy perched on her head. "No, not me. I can't believe it though… to think that Darunia would lock you away… What happened?"

Ruto sat down on the floor with a heavy sigh. "Want the long version, or the short version?"

Navi laughed at that, but it sounded strained. "You might as well tell me the long version. You don't look like you have much else to do."

"Very funny. Well, I was at Lake Hylia, minding my own business, when someone decided that some magical landscaping was in order and all of a sudden-"

"Hey, you can skip this part, actually. I mean, I'd have to be pretty blind to not notice that my home is suddenly gone." Navi said sadly.

Ruto gaped. "Seriously? The forest too?"

"Well, there's a forest, but it's not…_my _forest. There's a huge tree there that looks kind of like the Deku Tree, but it's all hollowed out and it can't talk… and I haven't seen any other fairies either."

Ruto nodded sympathetically. "I know what you mean. I couldn't find a single Zora anywhere… anyways, like I was saying, even though everything was suddenly different, I could see Death Mountain in the distance. I was so relieved that I ran here as fast as I could. Darunia and I were trying to figure out what had happened when all of a sudden-"

"You say "all of a sudden" too much when you tell stories, Ruto." Navi interrupted. "You should come up with some new transitional phrases to make them flow better."

"It happened really suddenly though!" Ruto huffed. "Stop interrupting me, you picked the long version and that's what you're getting! There was this magical explosion of light, and in front of us was Zelda… but not."

"Zelda… but not?"

"Yeah. It looked just like her, but at the same time nothing like her. She looked younger, for one thing. Her hair was a different color, and she was dressed like she was ready for battle. She just appeared, stared into Darunia's eyes, and then disappeared. That's when he went insane and locked me in the dungeons like a common criminal." She sniffed. "The nerve of him."

"You don't think Princess Zelda could have had anything to do with this, do you?" Navi whimpered.

"Queen Zelda." Ruto corrected. "She's a queen now, remember? And no, I don't think she does. It had to have been an impostor, she couldn't have gotten younger. The real question is, if someone has the ability to mimic someone else's appearance, why wouldn't they do it accurately? They could have sown doubt and confusion if they had actually tried harder, but all they did was annoy me."

Navi mulled that over. "That's a really good point, actually. Maybe they were just taking artistic liberties and didn't know that you knew the real deal and would be able to spot a phony. Or maybe it wasn't you they were trying to trick?"

Ruto was about to reply when she heard the sound of footsteps approaching. "Hide!" She hissed.

Navi dove into an empty decorative pot just as the two Gorons that had ignored Ruto earlier reappeared, carrying a limp figure. "Lucky you." One of them grunted as he unlocked the cell door.

"You get a cell mate." The other finished, tossing the unconscious person in.

"You sure this'll be alright?" The first asked. "Shouldn't we just kill him and be done with it?"

"No way. Not until we know what Brother Darunia wants us to do with him." The second replied, slamming and locking the door. "We should ask him what he wants us to do with the noisy fish while we're at it."

"Noisy?! FISH?!" Ruto screeched, grabbing the bars. The Gorons shuffled away hurriedly. "Say that to my face, you rock munching little TOADS! YEAH, YOU'D BETTER RUN!" She breathed heavily as they disappeared from view.

"That was scary…" Navi fluttered out from her hiding spot. "They said they wanted to kill you…"

"Oh please. They're bluffing." Ruto snorted, but she wasn't actually so sure. "What's with this guy's clothes? I've never seen a cloak like this before. Do you think this kind of thing is popular with humans these days?"

"I'm going to try and find help!" Navi decided, ignoring Ruto's attempt to change the subject. "I'm not doing any good just fretting here."

"Okay, please do." Ruto crouched by the unconscious man. "I don't know how to treat human injuries, and I don't want a dead body in my cell." She hesitated for a moment. "And… be careful, Navi."

"I will!" The little fairy flew off. Ruto watched until she could no longer see the blue glow and let out a sigh.

"Was that… a talking fairy…?"

Ruto let out an undignified screech and toppled over. Her cellmate was awake now, apparently.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle…" He trailed off, seemingly staring at her. "Are you a Zora, by any chance?"

Ruto lifted her head proudly. "I am, and not just any Zora, either. I'm Princess Ruto, the shining gem of Zora's Domain."

"That's amazing!" The man cried. "I've never met a Zora before, let alone a royal one!"

Ruto beamed. "Well, it's nice to finally get the respect I deserve around here! And what's your name? If we're going to be cellmates I might as well know."

"It's… Sky." He sounded uncertain, as if his own name was unfamiliar to him. "Um, where are we?"

"Death Mountain, home of the formerly delightful Gorons." Ruto huffed. "But they've gone and gotten themselves possessed or something, and now we're stuck here in this miserable heat."

"The heat bothers you?" His face was shadowed by the hood of his cloak, but Ruto could see just enough to tell that he looked worried. "Is it because you're a Zora?"

"Well, yes. We can live on land just fine, but Zoras are made for the water. It's why we usually don't venture far from our lakes for too long. Hey, what are you doing messing with jewelry at a time like this?"

He handed her a single ruby red earring. "It lets you resist the heat. I'm wearing one, so you can have the other one. It'll only be half as effective, but at least you won't die of heat stroke, right?"

"…Huh." She examined the earring more closely. "It's not really my style, but that's actually very thoughtful of you. Thank you."

He grinned. "No need to thank me, anyone else would do the same. Now, how to escape from this cell?"

Ruto rolled her eyes. "Don't bother, I already tried. If my magic can't break us out, I don't know what can."

Sky had begun pacing about, looking the room over carefully before pointing with a wide smile. "That's because you were only focusing on what's _inside _the room."

Ruto followed his gaze. "What? Oh, for CRYING out loud…" Growing behind their cell was a large overgrowth of bomb flowers. "How did I not see that? How did THEY not see that?!"

"Well, it is behind the cell. They'd have to be looking pretty hard to notice something like that. As for you, you were stressed. It's understandable that you missed it."

Ruto frowned. "You being nice about it doesn't make me feel better!" She stooped and grabbed a pebble before hurling it at the bomb flowers. They went off in a chain reaction, and the resulting explosion was so loud her ears started ringing.

"We need to run!" Sky shouted, clutching at his own ears and wincing.

Ruto nodded and gestured at him to follow her. "It's this way! Hurry!"

They took off at a sprint, holding their heads and trying not to stumble from dizziness. They had been running quite a while before Ruto felt Sky grab her arm.

"What's wrong?" She realized she was shouting and repeated more quietly, "What's wrong?"

"Nobody's pursuing us." Sky said quietly.

She blinked in surprise and looked around. He was right. Not only was there nobody following them, there wasn't a single Goron in sight. But…

"Do you hear that?" She whispered.

He nodded. "It sounds like a lot of people fighting. We should try to see what's going on, but stay out of sight. The Gorons took my sword from me, and I'm pretty useless without it."

They carefully edged towards the sound and peered over a steep cliff.

"The Gorons are fighting with humans?" Ruto cringed. "The humans have no chance at all. What are they thinking? HEY, THAT'S-" Sky covered her mouth.

"Didn't you hear me? We can't get caught!" He said frantically. "Don't _yell!_"

She pushed his hand away. "But- but down there! That's Impa! Except…" She stared hard at the figure. "…Not. Just like the Zelda I saw earlier. They're the same but different. What's going on?"

"Hold on a moment." Sky looked startled. "What did this Zelda do?"

"Well, she made the Goron leader Darunia go insane and lock me up, but I think it was an impostor. She looked strange, and more importantly, Zelda is a friend of mine and would never do something like this."

"That's odd. Of all the times that this impostor could have done this to him, why did she wait for the exact moment that you were meeting with him?"

Ruto's brow creased. "So you're saying I was her target all along? But why?"

"Do you have something that she wants?"

Ruto thought hard. "Something that she…wants?" Her eyes drifted to the battle raging below and she froze. "Of course! She wants the temple in Lake Hylia! This is a war or something, right? She'd need a base, and the temple is perfect for that! With me out of the way she'd have free reign of the place!"

Sky eyed the battlefield with trepidation. "Okay, so she's after a temple. Now the question is, should we wait and see if the humans are victorious, or should we try to infiltrate it ourselves?"

A sly grin formed on Ruto's face. "_Ourselves?_ You're coming with me, an almost total stranger, into some crazy war that we don't even know the cause of?"

Sky shrugged. "You seem trustworthy to me."

"That's awfully naive of you… but I guess I'm naive too, because I trust you as well. As for what to do next… You said they took your sword, right? Are you any good with it?"

"I have a lot to learn, but I think I'm pretty decent." Sky sighed. "Now, actually holding onto my sword, on the other hand…"

Ruto snorted. "Do you lose it often?"

Sky groaned. "It's been something of a reoccurring pattern as of late. Where do you think the Goron's would have put it?"

"Hmm… I imagine they'd put it in one of their storerooms… Gorons don't typically use weapons, so they don't have an armory here. I think the closest storeroom to where we were locked up is where we should look first. Come on!" For a moment, Ruto stared expectantly at Sky.

"…What?"

Ruto hid her face. "Sorry, bad habit. My attendants usually carry me everywhere. It's this way!"

They ran back the way they came, past the smoking ruins of their former prison.

"No guards anywhere…" Sky mused. "The humans must be putting up a pretty good fight."

Ruto grimaced, glancing over her shoulder at him as they ran. "It doesn't matter. Humans just aren't as strong as Gorons. They can't possibly win."

Sky sped up so that they were side by side. "Should we help them once we get my sword?"

"It'd be risky! We have no way of knowing if they're people that Navi- that's the fairy from earlier- asked to help, or if they also want to capture us!" They had reached the storeroom. Sky pushed open the heavy door, and there on a shelf was his sword.

"Thank goodness." He sighed. "Twi would kill me if I lost this. Anyways, how about we try to catch one of the humans alone? If they're relieved to see us then they're friends, and if they look like they want to murder us they're enemies. Sound good?"

_Who's Twi?_ Ruto wanted to ask, but they had dawdled too much already. "Works for me! If things get ugly we'll bail and run for Lake Hylia."

They heard footsteps and dove behind the storeroom doors. The woman who looked like Impa burst in, looking around with a frustrated expression.

"Perfect!" Ruto hissed. "She's all by herself! Let's sneak up behind her and-"

The Impa look-alike's eyes snapped to their hiding spot.

"D-Did she hear me?!" Ruto clutched Sky's arm.

The sound of shattering stone deafened the hiding pair, and their vision was momentarily clouded by dust. The woman stood over them, a fearsome look in her eyes.

"Who are you?" She demanded in a harsh voice. "Where is Princess Zelda?!"

Ruto wanted to hide behind Sky badly, but he still seemed dazed from the attack, so she straightened her back and said haughtily, "Are you referring to _Queen_ Zelda? Because that's the only Zelda I know, and the woman I saw earlier was most certainly not her."

The woman looked befuddled. "What are you saying? So you did see the princess?"

Ruto glowered back. "And what are YOU saying? What makes you think you have a right to address royalty while pointing a spear at them?!"

"Actually Ruto, I think that's a naginata." Sky corrected.

"Well, whatever, it's a type of spear, isn't it?"

The woman's eyes widened. "Hold a moment. Did you just call her "Ruto"? As in, the Zora Princess?"

Ruto lifted her chin."I am. What's it to you?"

A look of relief and disbelief washed over the woman's face. "We heard you had been taken prisoner from a talking fairy! How on earth did you escape?"

They both brightened. "Oh good, you're an ally." Sky sighed. "That's welcome news. Fighting off both Gorons and humans didn't sound too appealing."

The woman's sharp gaze turned to him. "And who are you?"

Sky grinned cheerfully. "Just a traveler named Sky who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. And you are?"

The woman shouldered her naginata. "My name is Impa. I'm glad you're safe, but the two of you need to stay out of sight. We'll talk later. Wait here." With that, she dashed out of the room.

"H-how rude!" Ruto cried. "You can't just order me around like that!" She irritably turned to Sky. "Come on! Let's go punch some bad guys!"

Sky rose an eyebrow at her. "…Punch some bad guys?"

Ruto flushed. "My fiancée said that to me once when we were kids and we got trapped inside a whale deity together. I know it sounds stupid, but…"

Sky smiled gently at her. "Not at all. He must really care about you."

Ruto felt her heart clench. Wordlessly, she beckoned him to follow.

The two of them ran back to the cliff they had used earlier as a vantage point. "Look over there!" Sky pointed. "The Gorons in that keep are rolling boulders down the mountain on the humans! If we can stop them then the humans might have a chance!"

As they rushed to their destination, Ruto tried hard not to think about Sky's words. _It doesn't matter if Link cares about me or not. Zelda sent him away, and that's the end of that. It couldn't have worked out between us anyways. He was a child. I grew up, but he never got the chance. Asking him to stay with me would have been immoral and selfish and perverse. I know that, but… I still miss him…_

They had reached the base. Ruto determinedly hid the sadness on her face and winked cheerfully at the startled Gorons before using her magic to send them back with a powerful wave. A bolt of light caught her eye, and she watched in awe as Sky's sword became illuminated with energy before he swung his blade down, knocking the Gorons aside.

"Well, look at you!" She sang. "Full of surprises, aren't you?"

He laughed. "Honestly, I wasn't sure if that would work! This sword isn't mine!"

With all of the Gorons unconscious, the human army surged up the mountain. "Should we follow them?" Ruto asked.

Sky nodded. "Might as well. Getting stuck on our own could be dangerous."

They slipped in with the ranks of the human armies, earning double takes from the soldiers at the sight of an elegant Zora and a mysterious hooded man in their midst, but nobody seemed to have the courage to ask them who they were.

"YOU TWO!"

Sky and Ruto froze as a furious Impa stormed towards them. "I thought I told you to stay put!" She growled at them. "Are you incapable of following basic instructions?"

"Leave them be, Impa." A smooth voice interrupted. They all turned to see a masked woman with a braid approaching. "Without them, we never would have gotten up the mountainside. The Gorons were raining boulders down on us from that keep."

Impa, with an irritable expression, was about to reply when Ruto cut her off. "_Sheik?"_

The masked woman stared at her. "…That is my name, yes. But how could you have possibly known that?"

Ruto ignored her question. "But if you're Sheik… then that means…" She stared hard at the woman, who shifted uncomfortably. "OH! I understand! I was right!"

Sky sighed. "You lost me, Ruto."

She smirked. "I'll explain it to you later." She turned back to Sheik. "Don't worry, I'll keep your secret! Except from Sky, he's my accomplice."

Sheik looked bewildered. "How could you know about…"

"ARGH!" Impa threw her hands in the air. "This is a _battlefield_, not a place for idle chatter! Once we knock some sense into that Goron leader I am having a talk with the three of you, do you understand?!"

"Don't worry." Ruto assured Sheik. "She doesn't scare me, I won't tattle."

Sky raised his hand. "Ms. Impa, may I be excused from the talk since I have no idea what's going on?"

Impa gritted her teeth, raised her naginata, and sprinted up the mountain away from them, looking positively bloodthirsty.

"We'd better follow her." Ruto sighed heavily. "No way can she take on Darunia by herself."

"…You shouldn't underestimate Impa." Sheik said quietly.

"I agree." Sky nodded. "She reminds me of a Sheikah I used to know. Absolutely terrifying."

Ruto rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, you wusses!"

They ran into the main room together, just in time for Darunia to tackle Ruto. She shrieked and was about to use her magic when she realized he had tears streaming down his face.

"Ruto!" He sniffed. "Thank goodness you're okay! I'm so sorry, I was possessed! Please forgive me!"

They all turned towards a disgruntled Impa, who shrugged. "I didn't even have to fight him. I just stabbed the Poe that was hiding in here and he reverted back to normal."

"Ruto!" Navi zipped in the room. "And Darunia! Oh, everyone's okay, I'm so relieved! Thank you so much, Impa and Ze-"

Ruto snatched Navi out of the air. "Yeah, thanks _Sheik!_ You were a big help!"

Impa stared hard at Ruto before turning to Sheik, who was now sweating nervously.

"Shouldn't we hurry? That impostor Zelda is at the Zora Temple, isn't she?" Sky said quickly.

Impa whirled to face Sky. "Is that true?!"

"I'm almost certain of it," Ruto agreed. "It's the only reason she would have to make Darunia lock me away. I'm the guardian of that place, after all."

Impa nodded slowly. "…Very well. We'll set out immediately. But after that, you three are _explaining yourselves._ Understood?"

"Yes, Impa." Sheik and Ruto said glumly in unison. In the excitement of the moment, nobody was paying close enough attention to realize that Sky hadn't chimed in, a pensive look on his face.


	11. Chapter 11

Despite having only been a commander of the Hylian army for a very short time, Link was already showing a great deal of promise. His extraordinary fighting abilities had been a frequent source of gossip even back when he was still only a trainee. However, his real strength was in his ability to lead, especially when working together with Proxi. His men trusted him with their lives, knowing that he valued each and every one of them and would never have them take any unnecessary risks.

However, despite the fact that his army obeyed him without question, he just couldn't seem to get these damned boarding school students to _listen to him._

"We have the situation under control." He glared. "I appreciate your enthusiasm, but you will only be in the way. I can't risk-"

"In the way?!" The young man who had identified himself as Pipit protested. "We're seniors in the knight academy! We've been training for years to protect Skyloft!"

"Why should we listen to you anyways?" A short, pudgy student harrumphed. "You're just pulling a prank on us, aren't you, Link?"

"Oh, yes, this is my idea of a hilariously funny joke." Link gestured at the destruction around them. "See, aren't I just the _best_ trickster you know? Except I _don't_ know you. I can't even remember your name from when you introduced yourself less than a minute ago. Now will you all please-?"

"His name is Cawlin!" The tall, horrifyingly thin student interrupted. "And this is Pipit-"

"I remember some of you, you don't have to-"

"-and this is Karane, and that's Fledge, and I'm Stritch. I like bugs."

"…That's nice." Link rubbed his temples. "You guys aren't listening to a word I say, are you?"

"Why should we?!" Cawlin snarled. "You put on a scarf and pretend you don't know us and we're supposed to _listen _to you? How stupid do you think we are?"

"I really doubt you want me to answer that question truthfully."

"Link, you're being mean to them!" Proxi protested. "Guys, pretty, pretty please just stay here! Someone needs to protect this academy, after all, and we don't have enough soldiers to be everywhere at once! You'd be helping us out a lot if you did!"

"Guys, I think she's right." Karane murmured. "Half of our professors are too old to fight. What happens if these monsters get in and we aren't there to help out because we're running around trying to prove ourselves?"

Fledge nodded and added timidly, "I agree… also, I don't think this is Link. Or the Link we know anyways. Link wouldn't trick us like that. He's our friend."

"Now that you mention it…" Pipit edged closer, hand on his chin. "Your hair is a lot lighter than his… and you're shorter."

Link's eyebrow twitched.

Cawlin groaned. "Seriously?! You're all unbelievable…"

Stritch shrugged at him and they all headed into the building. Once they were out of earshot, Link turned to Proxi.

"Sometimes I have no idea how I would function without you." He sighed.

"You just need to try to be nicer to people!" Proxi nestled into his scarf. "Verbally, I mean. You're actually super nice, you just struggle with expressing it, that's all!"

"Am I nice? Funny, I had no idea."

Proxi giggled. "Come on, let's see how the soldiers are doing."

The men appeared tired, but fortunately there was a lull in the fighting at present. They were hurriedly bandaging their wounds, bracing themselves for the next wave of enemy soldiers. As Link approached their faces lit up. Link glanced at Proxi, who darted forward. "You guys holding up okay?"

The captain nodded. "We are for now. There are a lot of enemies, though…"

"Don't lose your confidence, you're all doing great!" Proxi encouraged. "Link and I have faith in you!" The captain beamed at that.

"Focus on taking one enemy stronghold down at a time." Link added. "Don't let the big picture overwhelm you. If you can manage that, then it doesn't matter if there's more of them than us, we'll win."

"Yes, sir!" The men saluted, then returned to their preparations with increased vigor.

Proxi fluttered back to Link. "See, you're getting better at it!" She sang. He made a face and turned away.

"C-Commander!" The captain cried suddenly. "Behind you! A monster!"

Link whirled, ready to draw his sword.

A wolf had somehow managed to sneak up on him. It was massive, almost the size of a pony, with dark fur and a thick, broken chain around its paw. It was clearly a monster, but…

"Proxi… do you see its eyes?" Link asked quietly, still clutching his sword hilt, ready to draw if it were to spring at him.

Proxi cautiously peeped out from behind him. "What the… that's bizarre. They look... almost human."

"Commander?" The captain whispered. "What should we do?"

Link was thoughtful for a moment. _On the one hand, this could very easily be a trap. But the enemy has the advantage in this battle. It wouldn't make much sense for them to waste energy on a ploy like this… Only one way to find out._ "Stand down." He slowly let go of his sword, dropping his hand by his side.

The wolf watched him carefully with its icy blue eyes. Then, to the shock of everyone, it sat on its hindquarters like a domesticated dog and yawned.

"It's friendly?" Proxi flew near it hesitantly. The wolf sniffed her, and she landed on its muzzle. "Aw! Link, he's adorable! Can we keep him?! He can be our army mascot! It'll improve morale so much! He'll strike fear into the hearts of our foes!"

"What you're saying is, you just want a pet." Link said irritably. Nobody was paying attention, however. The soldiers had crowded around the remarkably tame wolf, stroking its fur and cooing to it. "Hey." The soldiers snapped to attention, looking somewhat abashed. Link sighed. "…We can keep the wolf. But you all absolutely cannot afford to get distracted at a time like this. He comes with me, understand?"

The men agreed enthusiastically. Link battled against the urge to roll his eyes at how excited they were. _It's not their fault. _He reminded himself. _They've gone through hell. Let them be happy for once, you insensitive prick._

"Okay, follow me." He commanded the wolf.

"Link, that's not how you talk to doggies!" Proxi sniffed. "You do it like this. Come here, buddy! Come on!"

"Why are you saying it in that goofy voice? How does that make him understand you?"

"It's so he can hear the love in my voice! He'll trust me more that way!"

The wolf eyed both of them flatly before standing, as if to say _I'm following because I want to, not because you asked._

"Alright men, the wolf and I will be trying to root out the enemy commander. I'm counting on you to get rid of their strongholds in the meantime." He strode away briskly, the wolf padding along behind him. Proxi snuggled in its fur happily.

"Want to name him?" She asked. "I think we should. It'll make him feel more like part of the team."

"Sure. Fido it is."

"Link! That's lame! I meant a real name!"

"Blackie."

"Boring!"

"Spot."

"He doesn't even have a spot! You aren't actually trying, are you?"

Link sighed. "Sorry, Proxi. I'm more focused on the whole war thing. If you want to name him, go for it. I'm no good at that kind of thing."

The wolf barked, and they glanced over at him before doing a double take in surprise. The wolf, while they had been distracted, had quietly scratched three letters into the dirt.

"Twi…?" Link read.

"You can write your own name?!" Proxi squealed. "Good boy! Smart boy!"

"How is that even…? Never mind. I've seen weirder things than that today. Like this city floating in the damn sky."

"Right?!" Proxi agreed readily. "How does that even work? Why hasn't it fallen? And thank goodness Lana had a spell to send us all… up here… Um, Link?"

"Yeah?"

"How're we going to get down?"

"If only we could summon an army of cuccos to carry us." Link mused. "They'd probably be better in combat than humans anyways."

"This is serious! We're stuck here! Stop being smarmy and just answer me!"

Twi made an odd noise, staring at a figure standing on the roof of the academy in the distance. Link and Proxi followed his gaze and gaped.

"T-the princess! It's the princess!" Proxi screeched.

"I don't think it is." Link muttered, still staring.

"What?! But it looks just like her!"

"Not really. Her face is entirely different."

"Wha…" Proxi's protest faded. "Huh. You're right. Also, what is she doing?"

The girl was, of all things, playing a harp. She had a determined, unafraid expression, despite clearly being able to see the hordes of enemies in the distance.

"Oh, good." Link plastered a fake smile on his face. "Soothing tunes to accompany the sounds of A WAR!_ YOU IDIOT, GO INSIDE!"_

She glanced up, appearing to hear his voice, and looked thoroughly shocked, but she continued to play.

Link smacked himself on the forehead. "Proxi, go use your mind control on her, she won't listen to me!"

"I don't have mind control!" Proxi protested. "I'm just considerate to others' thoughts and feelings! Also, she's really far and I'm not comfortable flying away from you in a battle like this! I could get trampled!"

"How could you get trampled in the sky?!"

Twi growled at them, seemingly annoyed.

A flash of light brought their attention back to the girl on the roof, who was now holding her harp aloft. Colored lights radiated out of her, flashing so brightly they illuminated the whole battlefield and temporarily blinded the three onlookers. When their vision returned, a blue, floating girl hovered before the one who summoned her, who appeared to be speaking emphatically before pointing to Link.

"Uh oh." He muttered.

The floating girl nodded and flew towards him at an unprecedented speed, not even giving him time to draw his sword. She stopped inches in front of his face.

"Master." She greeted.

"…Is it my turn to say something out of the blue now?" He growled while backpedaling, trying to regain his personal space. Proxi swatted him.

"You are not my master, but you are a master nevertheless." The girl continued in a melodic but somehow robotic voice. "I am Fi, and I will assist you. My aid will greatly increase your chances of both survival and victory."

"Oh boy. What a lucky day."

"He means to say thank you!" Proxi sighed. "We need all the help we can get! It's why we brought Twi along, and we only just found him too!"

Fi turned her blank eyes to Twi, who edged nervously away from her, nose twitching.

"Master." She nodded. Twi froze. "You are in a strange form, but I recognize you regardless. I will assist you as well."

Twi looked like he wanted to bolt away, but Proxi darted in front of him. "Wait! Do you mean this isn't his real form?!"

Twi barked at Fi loudly. She made a contemplative humming sound. "I see. Very well then."

Link rose an eyebrow. "You speak wolf-ese?"

"Negative. I made telepathic contact with the one you call Twi."

When it became clear that Fi had no intention of further clarifying what she meant, Link shrugged. "You know what? It doesn't matter. If you're here to help, then help. We're trying to find the enemy commander. We're out numbed, and the only way we're going to stand a chance is by taking out Volga so that his army panics or retreats… or both if we're lucky. Any idea where he might be?"

"I calculate that the commander of the enemy forces is 85% likely to be hiding in the northern region of Skyloft. The area to the north is uphill and highly defendable, making it the most strategic position to place himself. This is only viable, however, under the assumption that this Volga is unconcerned about the welfare of his soldiers and is not making routes to check on them. Would you like me to factor this in to my calculations?"

"No need." Link frowned. "Volga is a believer in survival of the fittest. If his men die, it's their own fault in his mind. …I wonder if it'll burn me if I punch him in the face."

"What is he comprised of?"

"Uh, he's a dragon-man."

"There is a 97% chance that punching a dragon-human hybrid will give you first-degree burns, master."

"Damn." Link glanced back towards the academy. The mysterious girl had finally gone back inside. "Looks like we'll just have to try to plow through his army until we reach him."

"I would advise, master, that you and I take alternate routes. This will divide the enemy's attention and allow us to reach the commander more easily, assuming one of is not felled."

"I know that, but I wasn't going to suggest it because it seemed too risky. You sure you can handle being on your own? Do you want to take Twi with you?" Link crossed his arms, brow creased with worry.

"Your heart is filled with kindness, Master, just as my former master's was. I will not require assistance, it is best that Master Twi accompanies you." A ghost of a smile appeared on Fi's face.

Link grimaced. "If you say so. Retreat if you have to."

"Understood, Master. We will regroup at the enemy commander's base if all goes according to plan." With that, Fi, gracefully zipped off towards the right, while Link, Proxi, and Twi headed left.

Not wasting time making an entrance, Link smashed through the first enemy base he found. The Lizalfos were caught off guard and were easily knocked aside by his blade. He was more than a little shocked when he turned, recalling that there had been hordes of enemies at his back, to see that Twi was tearing through them with unusually calculated precision.

"I'm starting to wonder if this is that knight academy's personal war dog." He called to Proxi.

"I'm not so sure. You'd think those students would have mentioned it!"

"Yeah, well, you'd also think that they'd have mentioned that one of their peers has a magical, Fi summoning harp that shoots out rainbow colored lights!"

Once the enemy encampment was thoroughly demolished, Link continued northward. He didn't have to run far. Volga stood in a highly visible location, apparently unconcerned about the threat of ranged attacks.

"Returned for another beating, boy?" He called down. "Why don't you send a real warrior to fight me so that I might actually enjoy myself?"

"Considering that the last time we fought you _ran away_, I'd say I'm as good as you deserve!" Link's face was twisted in annoyance. "Now get down here! Standing out of my reach is cheating!"

"_Ran?!_ Your ally was practically dead, and in the end you lost! I WON that battle, you foolish boy!"

Twi made a grumbling sound and slumped his shoulders.

"Master, my mission was a success." Fi danced over to them. "Ah, I apologize, Master, for interrupting. I did not realize that you were engaged in verbal combat. Please resume if you think that it will be beneficial to your mental well-being and restore your bruised ego."

Link snapped his head to face Fi. "My ego is not bruised! I had only just become a commander, and I think I did very well all things considered-"

Link's breath was knocked out of him as Twi smashed into his side, knocking him away from Volga's spear. Whirling, Twi snapped his jaws around the weapon, trying to wrench it out of his hands, but Volga had an iron grip.

"What's this?" He sneered. "It seems your new pet is more competent a foe than you are, boy!" He swung his leg, forcing Twi to let go to avoid being kicked in the stomach. Twi darted away, and Volga started to pursue him. Link lunged forward while Volga was distracted, cutting through the armor on his shoulder and making him bleed. Volga seemed to not notice the pain, however.

"Weak!" He snarled, knocking Link off of his feet. He swung his spear down, but the blow was deflected by Fi.

"Incorrect. Master is far from weak. You are simply abnormally strong." Fi declared. "Measuring others with such a skewed perspective is a flawed methodology."

"Silence! All that matters is that I can't even get heated up for a battle like this!" Volga roared.

A long, sing-song howl cut through the sounds of chaos. Twi had taken Volga's original vantage point and was now howling at the heavens. Link watched in awe as the Skyloft residents' loftwings, which had been hiding since his arrival, now flocked together so thickly they darkened the sky.

"What is this?!" Volga shielded himself as the enormous birds swooped down at him in a frenzy. "Your animal can summon these fiends?!"

"Why didn't you do that sooner?!" Link demanded. Twi hopped down and rolled onto his back like he had an itch. "I'm serious! Don't ignore me!"

"RAAAGH!" Volga bellowed. "I may retreat for now, but such petty trickery will not save you next time we meet, you coward!" With that, he changed into his dragon form and flew away as the hostile loftwings screeched at him.

There was a long, deafening silence before Proxi squealed, "Good boooy! Who's the best doggie ever?!"

"Don't reward him!" Link protested. "He could have done that from the start and saved us from having to wipe out those keeps to get here!"

"Unlikely, master." Fi lifted her arms in what looked like an awkward shrug. "Loftwings are not evolutionarily developed for combat. While their numbers made them useful against a single foe, they would have been a liability when dispersed over a large range of enemies."

"Seriously?" Link crouched down next to Twi. "How on earth could you have planned that far ahead?" Twi merely stretched indolently. "I don't suppose you know, Fi?"

Fi was quiet for a moment before replying, "I do not."

"But you kept calling him "Master"!" Proxi said, hovering anxiously by Twi's ear.

"Because he is a Master." Fi replied ambiguously.

Link undid his scarf, letting it hang loosely around his shoulders. He was developing a throbbing headache. "Okay, change of subject. The main reason we came here was to close something called a Gate of Souls. I've been running all over this place though, and I haven't seen anything like that here. Do you know where I can find it?"

"Dowsing…" Fi transformed into a blade and began mechanically pointing in all directions. Finally, the blade pointed straight down, and there was a loud pinging noise. Fi resumed her humanoid form. "I have located a large source of energy in the Sealed Grounds below. This Gate of Souls that you seek is most likely there."

"Oh good." Proxi huffed. "Now we're back to what we were talking about earlier. Link, _how are we getting down from here?!_ And don't you dare say-"

"Cuccos." Link replied with a wide grin, eyeing Twi. "_Giant _cuccos."


	12. Chapter 12

Ghirahim was immensely pleased with all that he had accomplished so far. It was only natural, of course. His cunning mind had always been one of his most prized attributes. Aside, of course, from everything else about him.

He had carefully blended in with the common folk of this world, even going as far to wear some "practical" attire, which he loathed, but he knew it wouldn't be for long, so he endured the annoyance. It had all been worthwhile. He managed to pick up on a delicious little rumor. Apparently, there existed an old wives tale about a beautiful, all-seeing sorceress who, for hundreds of years, had locked herself away in a place called The Valley of the Seers. However, there was a recent disaster of unknown origin, and the once green and peaceful area was now a barren ruin. Upon hearing this story, he had set out immediately to examine these ruins for himself, gleefully shedding the dull clothing he was wearing before he left and throwing on his beloved diamond pattern outfit once more.

_Interesting that the story claims that she is beautiful_, Ghirahim thought, amused, as he strolled through the wreckage, _when the same story also claims that not a single soul has ever laid eyes on her._

Ghirahim also found it hard to believe that this valley had ever been a hospitable place to live. The sky seemed perpetually overcast, the earth was baked and cracked, and there wasn't even a hint of living plant life. If this sorceress of legend was the Time Witch he was looking for information on, then it seemed that she had either been attacked by individuals who were also intent on destroying all vegetation wherever they went, or she had underwent some sort of transformation that required draining the land of its vitality.

Hearing the sounds of monsters bustling nearby, Ghirahim teleported atop a ruined structure. From there, he could see that there was a large encampment of various types of monsters nearby. They were so varied, in fact, that it was unusual.

_Perhaps,_ He mused, _the reason the Time Witch summoned areas of different worlds was to gather soldiers for her cause? But why choose those specific lands? If she were hunting for allies, why summon Skyloft, of all places? The only things there to recruit are ChuChus, and I doubt they'd be willing or able to follow orders…_

He flinched as a loud, bellowing roar echoed across the valley. Quickly ducking for cover, he watched as a massive, flaming dragon descended from the sky and landed hard on the ground, transforming into a tall, furious looking man in red armor.

"My dragonkin, come with me!" He commanded. "If you are in the Witch's army, remain here like she ordered."

"Masssster isss injured!" One of the Lizalfos cried. "Sssshouldn't Wizzro or the Witch handle-"

"That coward Wizzro is too focused on playing dress up to try and lure out a hiding princess." The dragon man sneered. "And the Witch is busy resurrecting that usurper king from the Twilight Realm. We are the only ones who can take care of that hero brat."

Ghirahim smirked. _So the Time Witch is in this Twilight Realm? It seems I've found my new lead._ He edged out from his hiding spot and started to slip away when his foot knocked the _smallest _pebble aside.

Had this been one of his regular surveillance missions where his target would only be hapless humans, something like this would be trivial. Inconsequential. But this was not an ordinary mission, and the one he was spying on was not a hapless human. He barely had seconds to shield himself before a mighty blow from the dragon man reduced the building he had been hiding on to a crumbled heap. Ghirahim landed on his feet, not allowing his face to betray the utter fury he felt at being caught like an amateur.

"An assassin?!" The man snarled. "I should have suspected as much from a boy who would rather sic his dog on me than fight like a man!"

_A fool obsessed with pride and bravado._ Ghirahim smiled. _Perhaps I can use this to my advantage. _"How could I possibly be an assassin if I don't know who you are? Although-" he made an admiring face as he eyed the wreckage of the building, "-I really ought to have heard of someone who wields such enormous strength with such ease."

The words instantly affected the man, who puffed out his chest. "I am Volga, the Dragon Knight. It is true, my strength is beyond your comprehension, but at least you have enough intelligence to recognize that fact. Who are you, and what is your purpose here?"

_I hate him already. _Ghirahim forced himself to bow humbly. "I am Ghirahim. I have held a grudge against Hyrule for a very long time and seek to align myself with your forces. You are the one in charge, are you not?"

Volga visibly grimaced. "I am not the leader of this army. That would be the Witch, Cia."

_At last, we have a name._ Ghirahim made a confused face. "The Time Witch?"

"She was once called that before darkness consumed her. She is the Black Witch now." Volga frowned. "I do not have the authority to recruit you. However, if you were to prove yourself useful to Cia, she may decide to allow it."

"Of course!" Ghirahim hoped he sounded eager to be recruited, and not because he had just obtained valuable information. "What must I do?"

"The hero is going to attempt to storm the Sealed Grounds and close the Gate of Souls there. Before he can, we need to allow as many monsters as possible to pass through and join our cause. You must find a way to sabotage his army, and if you want the Witch's recognition, you must do it on your own. I'd take care of this matter myself, but I was wounded in the last battle I had with that brat in Skyloft."

"But massster!" One of the Lizalfos protested. "He could sssabotage _us_ by failing! We can't trusssst him to do our work!"

A wicked smile appeared on Volga's face. "Then the Witch will destroy him. The Gate will fall eventually, we might as well let him take the blame for it."

Ghirahim clenched his fists. _Well, well. It seems you aren't as STUPID as you looked. How annoying. _"I won't make you regret this decision." Before Volga could open his mouth to say more infuriating things, Ghirahim snapped his fingers, teleporting away. Once he was alone he breathed in deeply, trying to calm himself and think about his next move.

_It's night time. _He mused. _Loftwings can't fly at night, so this newest Link must still be in Skyloft._ He grinned. _And didn't that buffoon mention a dog? I think I know what that means…_ He teleported once more.

Skyloft looked just like he remembered it when he had been searching for the incarnation of Hylia. Well, aside from the damage undoubtedly caused by the battle. The city in the sky had no inn, and there was no place big enough to house an army aside from the Academy. Ghirahim slowly made his way there, careful to stay in the shadows and remain unseen. He was certain that the sky child, Zelda, and Groose had described his appearance to the townsfolk, and he did not need any more issues to deal with right now.

He easily snuck past the night guard and made it through the gates. Now was the hard part. Where would Twi choose to sleep? The Knight Academy was a very large place, and it would currently be packed with soldiers. He couldn't risk just trying every door, or eventually he'd be caught. …Or maybe he didn't have to try any doors at all.

He quietly teleported to the roof of the Academy, and there, just as he suspected, was Twi. He was fast asleep, head buried in his paws. Ghirahim summoned a sword to shield himself.

"Wake up, puppy."

The wolf's blue eyes snapped open and he immediately lunged towards Ghirahim.

"Oh, stop that." Ghirahim sighed, knocking the half-asleep beast over. "I appreciate that you don't just shriek or collapse when startled like the sky child does, but one of these days you're going to seriously injure someone."

Twi reverted to his human form, rubbing his eyes and groaning. "Go away."

"I will not. Wake up already, I need to discuss something important."

Twi sat up straight. "You learn something?"

Ghirahim grinned. "Even better. I've managed to infiltrate the Witch's army. I'm a double agent now. Did you think I would achieve anything less?"

Twi's lips twitched into a rare smile. "Not bad. Better than I'm doing, that's for sure. I can't really get much information on this tiny floating island. Not to mention this world's Link has been trying to convince me to summon a cucco army for him. I wish he'd realize that I can only talk to animals within hearing range."

Ghirahim snorted. "You're not serious. That sounds like the sort of thing the little one would come up with. Well, it doesn't matter, because I'm reassigning you. I have to pretend to fight the Link of this world, and I don't want you in the way."

Twi gave him an odd look. "…Are you implying that you're the one calling the shots?"

Ghirahim smirked. "I wouldn't dream of such a thing. But, considering that the little one taught you everything you know, and considering I am his literal weapon-"

"Seriously? _Link_ is the leader? You're the second-in-command?"

"Well, you can't be the leader. You don't even like being around other people, let alone want to lead them. And the sky child is an idiot. He'd make a terrible leader."

"Something tells me you're a bit biased against Sky." Twi stretched. "He's pretty smart, from what I saw."

Ghirahim scowled. "You're only saying that because he understood the time-space babble that the little one was spouting. May I remind you that he _forgot _his sword?"

Twi groaned. "I really don't care, you're missing my point. I think _you _should be in charge. Not Link."

Ghirahim slowly raised his eyebrows. "You would turn against your master so quickly?"

Twi met his eyes in a steely glare. "Don't put words in my mouth. I respect Link. He taught me swordplay, real swordplay, not just the defensive stuff Rusl taught me to keep me safe. He saved Hyrule. And, from what that imp Skull Kid told me when I met him, he went through a lot worse to save Termina. I just think you know how to handle this situation better, that's all." He looked away with a sigh. "Look, if you hadn't been there, Link, Sky, and I would have never thought to go undercover. We wouldn't know our allies from our enemies. We would have charged in like heroes and probably gotten ourselves captured or killed. We're used to fighting though dungeons and temples, not fighting wars."

Ghirahim stared blankly at him. He hadn't even thought of taking charge. He had never _been _in charge. Even when Demise was sealed away, Ghirahim was still acting for him. His master had always called the shots, and since that was Link now, he had just assumed that he would lead them. Now that he thought about it, the little one wouldn't make a good leader, would he? As Tatl had said, he was still a child.

Ghirahim shook his head, pulling out of his thoughts. "Very well, puppy. If you want me to lead, so be it. I'm reassigning you."

Twi glowered. "You said that already. Clarify, will you?"

"We need to arrange a meeting so that we can share all of the information we've gathered. I've found an ideal location. There's an abandoned base in the forest that I believe the humans were using when this war first started. We're to meet there on the next full moon-"

"Drama queen."

"Oh, hush. As the one who put me in charge, you should have expected an element of theatricality. Find the sky child, and send him to fetch the little one alone. You shouldn't be in the land where you're from; you may be recognized."

Twi nodded. "Anything else?"

"Yes. Be certain to warn the sky child that the Time Witch is now called the Black Witch, and that she's somewhere in the Twilight Realm."

Twi looked thunderstruck. "Wait a second. The Twilight Realm was summoned too?!"

Ghirahim shrugged. "I don't know what it is, but yes. Why are you so concerned with it?"

Twi was quiet. He appeared to be wrestling with his thoughts, and there was a deep furrow on his forehead. "It's… nothing. I knew someone from there once, that's all. I'd better get going. Hopefully this world's Link realizes he can just use the Loftwings to get down from here…"

Ghirahim smirked. "All the better for me. The longer I can delay him, the more likely the Witch will trust me."

Twi rolled his eyes. "Don't have too much fun." He transformed and howled into the sky. A Loftwing with a stupid looking lantern attached to its head glided down and swooped him up in its claws.

"I'll do my best!" Ghirahim sang, waving goodbye.

Actually, Twi's parting words raised the question; how was he going to delay the hero? Ghirahim had unconsciously been planning on killing some key members of the army, but now that he thought of it, the little one had told him not to kill anyone… Except for "bad guys", but he would have a hard time proving that a few random individuals in the army had actually been secretly evil all along.

"Who's there?" He heard a sleepy voice call. Ghirahim quickly dove behind a crate as someone clambered up onto the roof. _I hear armor clanking. That means he's one of the soldiers, not a student._

"I know I heard voices!" The man's voice cried. "I am a captain in the Hylian army! Show yourself!"

_A captain? I can make use of this. _Ghirahim quietly cast a complex little spell.

"Hurkk!" Ghirahim heard the captain collapse. Leaving his hiding place, Ghirahim crouched by the man.

"Tomorrow, when I give the order, you and your men are to attack your fellow soldiers." Ghirahim murmured. "You are not to strike any fatal blows, but spread panic and mayhem. No doubt this world's Link will have qualms about killing a fellow soldier, so when he disarms you, that's when my spell will break. Understand?"

"Yes….Master…." the man croaked.

"Good. Now return to bed and forget we had this conversation."

.

.

.

Sitting in the cupped hands of the hateful statue that had crushed Demise, Ghirahim waited for the Hylian army to show up. It didn't take long. Only a few minutes after the sun had risen, he spied Loftwings descending from the sky. Ghirahim spotted the new Link easily, thanks to the magnificent blue scarf looped around his neck. _That's an excellent look._ Ghirahim thought idly. _I ought to order the others to wear scarves like that now that I'm the leader. After all, if they dress sloppily it's going to reflect poorly on me. _But he could think about that later. Now he had chaos to sow.

Link was still miffed that Twi had seemingly disappeared overnight, but he had a war to deal with.

"If you were going to make an evil summoning gate," he called to Proxi, "Where would you put it?"

"Look for somewhere evil, I guess." Proxi sighed heavily.

"Uh, are you okay?" Link rose an eyebrow at her. "You're a lot of things, Proxi, but apathetic isn't one of them."

"I'm fine. I just always wanted a dog. And now he's gone." She said, practically radiating gloom. Link cringed.

"Uh, well, there's more trout in the river, so-"

Proxi snorted. "It's "fish in the sea", you goober. Your people skills are _so_ bad. But thanks for trying to cheer me up."

Link crossed his arms. "Well, they won't get any better if you keep on trashing my self-esteem, you know."

Proxi outright laughed at that. "Sorry, sorry. You're strong and smart and great at parties!"

"I feel like only one of those is accurate."

"Commander!" Link turned to see one of his men approaching. "We didn't find anything to the south. Where should we look ne-"

The soldier's voice cut off oddly, and his face suddenly went blank, as though he couldn't see what was happening around him. Link tensed at the sight.

"What's the matter soldier?" He stepped closer to the man. "Hey!"

The man drew his sword.

"Link! Look out!" Proxi shrieked as the soldier swung at him. Link parried the blow easily.

"Master!" Fi had spotted the struggle and swiftly disarmed the man, who lay on the ground stunned.

"Something's wrong!" Link hissed. "He didn't mean to, he looked possessed or something!"

"I detect that there are multiple soldiers being controlled by the same entity, Master." Fi looked almost worried. "This may greatly harm our army's morale."

"Damn it! Fi, can you tell me where the leader is?!"

"The leader appears to be located towards the south. Shall I accompany you, master?"

Link shook his head firmly. "Take out the other soldiers as quickly as you can or this'll turn into a riot! Come on, Proxi!"

They raced towards their destination as fast as they could. They were met almost instantly with chaos. Many men had backed into corners, refusing to let others come near them, suspicious of everyone. Just as he was wondering how he would find the turncoat in this crowd, someone lunged at him. He quickly dodged away, shocked to see that it was one of his captains before noticing the look on his face.

"Do you see that, Proxi?"

"Yeah, he looks possessed too!" Proxi cried. "I thought Fi said he was the leader!"

The captain swung his sword wildly at Link, who blocked his frantic blows with his shield. Finally, the man slipped on a patch of grass, and Link hastily seized the moment to disarm him.

There was a loud crackling sound, and the captain's vacant look was replaced with one of horror. "Commander?! Commander, I'm so sorry! I have no idea what came over me! I was possessed, I-"

"Take it easy, I knew it from the start." Link placated.

"We're so glad you're okay!" Proxi soothed. "Just take it easy, Captain. Do you know who did this to you?"

The man nodded. "I remember him. He was thin and had white hair. He wore the strangest clothing and a red cape… He was saying something to me, but I can't remember what… something about panic and mayhem…"

"How awful!" Proxi cried.

Fi danced over to them. "All of the turncoats have returned to normal, Master."

Link rubbed his temple. "Fi, defeating this man broke the spell, but he isn't the one who cast it. Can you find the one who did?"

"Dowsing… How odd." Fi's voice suddenly seemed a little tense. "That should be impossible. This logically makes no sense."

"What is it? What's wrong?" Link asked.

"I have located the spell caster. He is someone who I factually believed to be dead, and yet he is not. This is highly improbable." Fi seemed as close to flustered as she could be.

"Take it easy, Fi!" Proxi said anxiously. "Where is he?"

"There is a secret opening in the back of the statue of Hylia." Fi gestured to the massive statue. "He is inside."

"We'll take care of it." Link assured her. "I need you to find and close the Gate of Souls in the meantime. We don't know how long this fight may last."

Fi floated very close to Link's face and stared into his eyes intently. "This man is dangerous, Master. Do not be fooled by appearances. Do not let your guard down. Be careful, Master."

"We need to have a talk about personal space. But thanks, Fi."

Link and Proxi hurried towards the statue. Eventually, they found the opening and slipped inside to be met with an unexpected sight.

The man the captain had described was dancing with his back to them. It didn't seem like a dance of merriment, but one of boredom.

"Hey!" Proxi announced their presence. Link drew his sword. The man went motionless before snapping his fingers and disappearing.

"I like your scarf, fairy boy."

Link spun around. The strange man was now blocking the exit.

"Thanks. I like your pants, but they seem pretty impractical. Also, is it normal where you're from for enemies to complement each other before violently fighting to the death?"

The man laughed loudly. It echoed menacingly off the interior of the hollow statue. "How adorable! Are you being coy with me? Well, it'd be rude of me not to introduce myself, wouldn't it?" The man bowed mockingly. "I am the demon lord Ghirahim. You are not the first hero I've ever fought, fairy boy. I do hope you won't disappoint me as much as your predecessor did."

Link frowned. "Okay, why does everybody keep calling me "boy"? First Volga and now you."

Ghirahim smirked. "I wouldn't know. The name just popped into my head. Perhaps it's because you're shorter than the average human male-"

Link lunged for Ghirahim, swinging his sword towards his legs. Ghirahim blocked the blow with a summoned longsword.

"Oh, come now, I didn't intend that as an insult." Ghirahim snickered. "_All _of the heroes I've encountered were small. You certainly aren't the shortest." He did a backflip, causing Link to stagger when his sword was unexpectedly met with nothing. "Then again, the only one smaller than you was a ten year old boy, so-"

Link retaliated to this nugget of information by kicking Ghirahim hard in the shin. Ghirahim swore, clutching the leg. "You brat!" He hissed. "What's next in your arsenal, eye scratching and hair pulling?!"

"Well, maybe if you were actually wearing armor instead of cloth with holes in it, that wouldn't have hurt so much!" Link leapt at Ghirahim, sword overhead. Ghirahim teleported across the room quickly.

"But armor is so _cumbersome!_" Ghirahim protested, summoning several daggers to hurl at Link. Link hadn't expected this and ducked behind his shield.

"Link!" Proxi cried from the safety of his scarf, her voice slightly muffled. "Stop wasting time and finish him off!"

"Proxi, you can't even see what's happening right now! You have _no idea _what I'm doing!" Link swung his sword swiftly. While the blade missed Ghirahim, the hilt hit him directly in the stomach, and he doubled over, cursing loudly.

"Surrender, Ghirahim!" Link commanded, pointing his sword at him. "Don't make me kill you."

Ghirahim rolled his eyes and simply teleported out of Link's reach.

"Oh, come on!" Link said furiously.

"Relax, fairy boy. I'm retreating." Ghirahim grinned. "My objective was to delay you, nothing more. I think I've more than achieved this… especially since that sword spirit who you sent to close the Gate of Souls actually has no way of doing so without you."

"What?!" Proxi zipped out from the scarf. "You mean you were just a decoy?!"

Ghirahim grinned and waved merrily. "You'd best get going!"

"AGGH!" Link sheathed his sword and sprinted out of the statue with Proxi in pursuit as Ghirahim's laugh echoed behind them.


	13. Chapter 13

_I really need to stop getting myself into situations like this…_ Sky thought sadly.

Among his peers at the Knight Academy, Sky was often gently teased (not so gently if the person in question was Groose or Cawlin) for the fact that, despite his abundant amount of intelligence and excellent grades in every subject, he was a bit lacking in the self-preservation department. Frequent tumbles off of Skyloft at night, straining his back helping Henya the lunch lady carry in her food shipments, and the _incident_ involving the chandelier at the Lumpy Pumpkin had earned him quite the reputation among the Skyloft residents even before he discovered the surface and rescued Zelda. After his adventures, Sky had hoped that he had grown and matured from all of his harsh experiences.

Apparently, this wasn't the case.

_"SKY!"_ Ruto's voice frantically called from the other side of the rubble. "Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine, just a bit dazed!" He called back. "What happened?"

"Well, that idiot impostor activated the floodgates for too long. They're only meant to be used for emergencies! The water pressure must have been too much and caused a cave in! This is a sacred temple, for crying out loud! I'm going to DROWN him! Or her. Whatever."

"…I don't suppose there's a way out?" Sky asked hesitantly.

"Sorry, Sky, that's a dead end! I'll look for a way to get rid of this rubble. Stay put in the meantime!"

Sky carefully eyed his surroundings before standing. "I appreciate the concern, Ruto, but while I'm in here I might as well find that Lens of Truth we were looking for."

"I…I guess you're right. But be _careful _Sky!"

_Easier said than done. _Sky thought, grinning self-deprecatingly.

Sky began to explore the area, his footsteps echoing loudly in the empty stone chamber. There really wasn't much to see. The temple had clearly been built to be unwelcoming to intruders who thought to steal its treasures. It was exceedingly hard to navigate, and the intricate carvings on the walls and floor seemed oddly intimidating. According to Ruto, the temple was much easier to deal with when it was filled with water and you could swim to upper and lower levels, but Sky found himself doubting that. If anything, having more floors available would make it more confusing.

_I really hope the floodgates don't break. _Sky thought grimly. _I'm a good swimmer thanks to the Water Dragon Scale, but I can't breathe underwater. And I'd hate to think about what would happen to the Gorons down here._

_"Well, what's this?" _An echoing voice crooned. Sky froze, recognizing it. When the army had first arrived at Lake Hylia, they had been met with the same voice which had threatened them and demanded they turn back. Impa, with a horrified expression, had identified the voice as Princess Zelda's, and the morale of the soldiers had taken a tremendous hit, despite Impa's insistence that it couldn't be real. _"It seems there's a lost little mouse wandering around the Central Hall. Here me, Hylian Army! Lay down your weapons and surrender to me immediately if you wish for your comrade to live!"_

"Oh, come on!" Sky called out, not knowing for certain if the voice could even hear him. "Don't threaten them with my life! There's nothing in here that could even harm me!"

The very moment the words left his mouth, several Poes teleported into the room.

_Sometimes I think the Goddesses have a horrid sense of humor. _Sky drew his sword and sent a Skyward Strike in the direction of the monsters before spinning on his heel and ducking down a narrow passage.

_"There's no way out of that room, little mouse. You may as well stop trying."_

"I'm not sure why you'd just _assume_ I'm looking for a way out." Sky called back, taking the same tone of voice he normally used when arguing with Groose. As he skidded into a small, dark room, a purple gleam caught his eye and he hurriedly examined the object. There was no doubt that it was the Lens of Truth; it looked exactly like what Ruto and Navi had described.

_It's certainly lucky that they chose here of all places to store this. _He eyed his surroundings with a grimace. _Then again, what could possibly be a better place to hide a powerful artifact? I doubt thieves are ever brave enough to come here._

The sound of more Poes behind him pulled Sky from his thoughts, and he quickly slashed them away, sprinting back into the main room so that he wouldn't get trapped in such a small space. He groaned when he saw that even more Poes had swarmed in. Sky backed himself into a corner, hoping that this particular breed of Poe couldn't pass through walls.

"SKY! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!"

Sky looked up. The voice seemed to be coming from a series of pipes in the ceiling above him. "I can hear you, Ruto!"

"TAKE A DEEP BREATH, GRAB ONTO SOMETHING, AND _DON'T LET GO!"_

Recognizing the urgent tone in her voice, Sky did as he was instructed, grabbing hold of a decorative column and sucking in air. He did so just in time. A horrible sound of screeching metal filled the room, and suddenly powerful streams of ice cold lake water poured down from above. The Poes stood no chance against the current and were quickly swept away. Sky held on for dear life, arms and lungs straining. In the distance he could hear the rubble that had trapped him being forced aside, and the water level receded rapidly until it was no more than puddles on the floor. Sky collapsed onto the ground limply, gasping for air and shuddering from the cold.

"Sky?!" Ruto's voice called down, sounding panicky. "Did it work?! Are you alright?"

"I'm a bit damp, but aside from that I'm fine!" Sky called back, omitting the fact that he was now freezing and that his muscles had been strained. It was his own fault for not paying attention when the ceiling had collapsed earlier and getting trapped, so he had no right to complain. "Thanks for your help, Ruto! I'm going to take the Lens of Truth to Sheik and Impa!"

"Okay, I'll go help Darunia! Don't get trapped again, Sky!"

"Right!" Sky took off at a run, hoping he remembered correctly how to get back to where the others were. The ground under his feet rumbled, and he sped up slightly, eying the now leaking ceiling warily. _I wonder if the impostor knew this would happen if they left the floodgates activated. They're pretty clever if they did. They must have known that this would distract us. Hopefully we can take them out before this whole place comes down._

Turning a corner, Sky skidded to a stop, nearly colliding with Impa and Sheik.

"Sky, thank goodness you're alright." Impa sighed. "I thought the enemy had imprisoned you!"

"Only for a little while. Ruto took care of it. More importantly, I found the Lens of Truth."

"May I?" Sheik took the lens and examined it. "Excellent, it seems to still be functional. Come, let's expose that impostor for what they truly are." She beckoned them to follow. "I spotted the main chamber earlier. It's this way."

As they ran, Sky noticed Impa's gaze on him. "Is there something wrong?" He asked.

She sighed. "There _will _be. You're soaked, and it's freezing in here. You'll be sick for sure."

Sky shrugged with a wry grin. "I know, but it couldn't be helped. I'll be more careful next time."

Impa glared. "You'd better be. I won't be pleased if one of our most promising new recruits misses the war because of a case of the sniffles."

Sky suppressed laughter and simply nodded. _Complimenting me and criticizing me in the same sentence… She's so much like the Impa I knew it's unnerving._

"So you've come to face me, have you?"

The impostor stood before them. It certainly looked like Zelda (or at least, the Zelda that Sky knew. His eyes flicked to Sheik and back again, not wanting to give anything away.), but the icy, menacing expression looked rather unnatural on her face, and she seemed oddly drained of color.

"You have some nerve, attacking your own Princess." She sniffed. "You are Sheikah, are you not? Have you no honor? Is your kind not born to serve me?"

"The Sheikah," Impa snarled, "_choose _to serve and protect the royal family. No one is born into it, no one is forced into it. The true Zelda knows this."

"Indeed." Sheik murmured. "Your facade needs to end here. I will not stand by and allow you to insult Impa and her people." She hoisted the Lens of Truth over her head.

There was a tremendous flash of light, and the impostor let out an agonized scream as it forcibly assumed its true form. Sky wrinkled his nose at the sight of the mottled skinned creature in its ragged purple robes.

"Wizzro!" Impa hissed.

"How…" He groaned. "How could you have seen through my deception?!"

Sheik sighed. "Did you truly think you were being convincing?"

"Of course! It was my most brilliant scheme yet!"

"…I find that rather insulting." A luminescent glow began to emanate from Sheik. "Do you really think-" There was a flash. "-I would ever say such horrible things to my own attendant?"

_"Princess!" _Impa looked beyond delighted. "It's you!"

Zelda smiled sweetly. "It's good to be back. It's frightening going to war with so little armor. I have no idea how you do it, Impa." She turned to Sky. "I know Ruto told you about this, so thank you for keeping my secret."

Sky shrugged. "It wasn't a problem. I knew you had your reasons."

"HAHAHA! FOOOOL!" Wizzro cackled. "This was my true plan ALL ALONG! I knew you'd reveal yourself, Princess! AHAHA-"

"Why is that such a good thing?" Sky cocked his head to the side in contemplation. "At this point you're so outnumbered that it'd be impossible for you to win. If you had lured her out earlier you might have had a chance, but now you can't do anything about it even though you know she's here."

Wizzro made a choking sound. "W- What?! I… uh… I know she's alive now!"

"But you already _knew _that." Sky protested. "You wouldn't have been looking for her if she hadn't been alive."

"…What is your name, human?"

"It's Sky. Hello."

"Well, Sky… I'm going to tear you into hundreds of tiny pieces while you scream for-"

"I understand that you're upset, but you shouldn't take it out on me. You're the one who didn't think this through." Sky said with a frown, crossing his arms. Really, after dealing with Ghirahim for so long, normal villains just didn't seem very threatening anymore…

With a wordless howl of rage, Wizzro hurled a ball of dark energy at Sky, who ducked out of the way. Zelda leapt forward and, with amazing grace and speed, used her rapier to stab Wizzro in his bulbous eye. Instead of blood, blackish-purple mist poured out of the wound, which he clutched at.

"EYAAAAAAAGH!" He screeched. "DAMN YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL ALL OF YOUUUU!" With that, he teleported away.

Zelda sheathed her blade. "Let's hurry out of here. We need to release the floodgates and-"

Impa cut her off by embracing her hard. "Do not put me through that ever again, Princess. I was so worried…"

Zelda blinked rapidly, apparently fighting off tears. "I'm sorry, Impa…"

Sky quietly slipped away to give them some privacy, heading for the temple exit. He took a deep breath gratefully once outside. _It wasn't for long, but I really missed the fresh air._ Sky stretched, shivering as the wind blew against his wet clothes.

Sky jolted at the sound of a long, sing-song howl. _Is that…? _He squinted his eyes, examining the horizon. Yes, it was unmistakable. No normal wolf was that big. He glanced hesitantly back at the temple. _I'm sure they won't notice if I slip away for a bit…_ Quickly, before someone spotted him, Sky made a beeline for his descendant.

Twi yawned in greeting, padding up to Sky as his tail wagged slightly back and forth. He sniffed Sky curiously before transforming.

"What'd you get yourself into this time?" He asked, eyebrow raised at Sky's waterlogged appearance.

Sky sighed. "Oh, just a hapless, clumsy mistake that could have been easily avoided. The usual."

Twi patted him on the back. "No big deal. The important thing is that you succeeded. You did succeed, right?"

Sky nodded. "The Hylians won the battle, Princess Zelda has been found, and I identified one of the Time Witch's allies."

"Black Witch."

"I beg your pardon?"

Twi shrugged. "Yeah, I spoke to Ghirahim. He's managed to infiltrate the enemy ranks, and apparently "Time Witch" is what they used to call her. It's "Black Witch" now."

Sky nodded thoughtfully. "I see… It's fortunate that I didn't mention the name since I didn't want to seem like I knew too much. Using an old title like that would have made me look rather suspicious."

Twi grimaced at that. Sky looked at him in concern. "Is something wrong?"

"Just hoping Link had the same foresight as you did."

The two stared at each other in silence.

"Perhaps… he was covert in his inquiry?"

"Not a chance." Twi looked sharply at Sky. "Hey, are you going to be able to handle another mission?" He reached out and grasped the wet fabric on Sky's arm. "Man, you really are soaked."

"I'm not sick yet. I might as well do what I can for now. Why? What do you need me to do?"

Twi sat down on a stump, crossing his legs and stretching. He looked very tired. "Well, someone has to fetch Link, and I can't do it because he's in the part of my world that was brought over and we can't have our cover being blown by someone recognizing me. Do you think you can handle it?"

Sky nodded. "Of course. I'll call my Loftwing and fly there. The wind will dry me off on the way."

Twi held up a hand. "Hold on, I'm not finished yet. You need to be extra careful. The Black Witch is supposed to be in the Twilight Realm, an alternate version of my world that was summoned as well. No doubt Link has already found that out and is on her trail, so that's where you're going to have to head." He paused. "…Do your best to protect the residents of the Twilight Realm. They've been through enough trouble lately and don't deserve something like this happening to them."

Sky nodded. "I understand." He examined Twi's face carefully. "Are you going to be alright? You look exhausted. When was the last time you slept?"

Twi scowled. "Well, I _would _have slept fine last night if Ghirahim hadn't decided to send me after you _right then._ Oh shoot, I almost forgot. Once you find Link, we're all meeting in Faron Woods in the abandoned Hylian base on the night of the full moon."

Sky sighed. "Seriously?"

"It's Ghirahim. What'd you expect?" Twi stood with a groan. "Ugh. I'm heading there now. I'll see you later. I'll have some hot soup ready for your inevitable horrible sore throat."

"I appreciate it."

"Oh, and…" Twi hesitated, looking uncomfortable. "…Nah, never mind. It'll only worry you. I'll tell you when you get back."

As Twi transformed and ran off in the direction of the now-setting sun, Sky glanced back over his shoulder at the temple in the distance. Zelda and Impa were still inside, likely regrouping with Ruto, Darunia, and Navi. _I wonder if they'll be angry… _But it didn't matter. He had a job to do. Turning away, he summoned his Crimson Loftwing and headed for the Twilight Realm.


	14. Chapter 14

To Link's surprise, the Twilight Realm was actually quite beautiful. He didn't really have much of an eye for aesthetics, but it would be hard not to appreciate the land's wondrous floating buildings and the luminescent sky.

"Such a pretty place!" Agitha sang, dancing in a small circle. "I wonder what kind of bugs live here? Oh wait…" She hesitated, a small frown forming. "Actually, there aren't many plants around here, are there? That might make it a bit difficult for insects to live…" She seemed very disappointed at the idea.

"What about mosquitoes? Those drink blood, right? So they wouldn't need plants!" Link said, trying to cheer her up. Agitha shook her head firmly.

"Nope, nope, nope! Only lady mosquitoes drink blood! And they still need nectar for food!"

Lana sighed. "Agitha, Mido, please focus. It took a whole day for us to reach here, and monsters are pouring out of the Gate of Souls as we speak. We need to find it and destroy it as soon as possible." She turned to Midna who was floating nearby, eyeing the palace in the distance warily. "Midna, do you have any idea where it might be? We could use Agitha's Goddess Butterfly, but I don't want the enemies to be alerted of our presence yet."

Midna shrugged, not shifting her gaze. "I didn't see it before I went chasing after the ugly witch. Still, it would almost definitely have to be somewhere in the palace. This place isn't exactly prepared for war, you know? The Twili are generally an extremely peaceful race. So, the palace is the only location that could really be defendable enough to make something like that.

Lana nodded. "Alright. Everyone, we're heading for the palace! We need to keep our volume down. I don't see any enemies yet, so maybe if we're lucky we can catch them off guard. I also need some men to remain here. We need a base to be able to retreat to in case something goes wrong. The rest of us need to _stick together._" She stressed the last two words, giving Link and Agitha a pointed look. Link grimaced underneath his mask. _She's really keeping a tight watch on us. I hope I can actually find information on the Time Witch with her hovering over my shoulder…_

They made their way to the Palace of Twilight as quietly as an armor clad army could. The "stealthy" approach didn't last for long, however. No sooner had they cleared the entrance-way when a mighty, bellowing roar sounded from behind them.

"What _is _that?!" Lana shrieked, hovering anxiously in front of the two children as a massive black dragon flew towards them.

"I- I don't believe it!" Midna gasped. "That's Argorok! It should be DEAD! I saw it die with my own eyes!"

"It must be trying to delay us so even more monsters can make it through the Gate!" Lana groaned. "Okay, new plan! The soldiers, Midna, and I will go take down that dragon! Mido and Agitha, go scout out the Gate of Souls! Stick together no matter what, and go _straight _back to the base once you find it, understand!?"

Link and Agitha clumsily saluted, Link using his left hand instead of the right and Agitha accidentally bonking herself with her parasol.

"Leave it to us!" Link cheered.

"Okie dokie Miss Commander, Sir!" Agitha wore a determined face as she clutched her sore head.

Lana and Midna exchanged one very dubious look. "You sure this'll be okay?" Midna hissed.

Lana shrugged helplessly. "It's safer than sending them after the dragon, and we can't waste any more time! Come on!" With that, they and the soldiers turned back and ran to intercept the rampaging Argorok as Link and Agitha slipped into the palace.

"Well, the bad guys know we're here now." Link said, peering at the strange interior of the building. "So, there's no harm in using your butterfly to find the Gate of Souls, right?"

Agitha nodded happily. "I think you're right, Lil' Aphid! Come on out, Miss Butterfly!" She pulled the bottle out of her picnic basket and uncorked it, letting the glittering insect flutter out and perch on her finger. "We need to find the Gate of Souls, Miss Butterfly! Won't you please take us there?"

The butterfly instantly began making its way toward its destination, the children following it closely.

"You know, Agitha, there's probably a lot of people who are really worried about you right now." Link said as they ran, wishing he could tell her how relieved Twi would be if he knew she was alright.

"Oh, that'd be silly!" Agitha sang. "I was perfectly alright even before you all showed up and got rid of the monsters. I met lots of new buggy friends and I only almost got squished a couple of times. And really, the mean monsters didn't stand a chance against my giant butterfly and giant beetle. Those two squashed a _ton _of monsters."

Link fought hard not to laugh at the mental image of Agitha decimating hordes of unsuspecting Bokoblins. _Seems like Twi and the people in his world were getting worried about nothing._

As they entered a long hall, they were intercepted by a large group of monsters. The Aeralfos that led them grinned widely.

"We were ssssent to capture the enemy commandersss, but it sssseems that it will be easssier than we thought! Thossse foolish humanssss, putting hatchlingssss in posssitionsss of power!"

Link frowned. "Commanders?" He turned to Agitha, who looked equally puzzled. "I don't remember Lana making us commanders, do you?"

Agitha shook her head. "I don't think so… but you know, we _are _on a really, really important mission, so we might as well be commanders, right?"

The Aeralfos looked somewhat frustrated at their lackluster response to its threats. "Ssstupid hatchlingsss! Are you or are you not commandersss?!"

"Should we be?" Link mused. "It'd be fun, but Lana might get mad at us…"

"Oh, I don't think so! I'm sure she'd understand!" Agitha reassured.

"Okay!" Link spun to face the monsters. "Yes! We're commanders! I'm Commander Mido, and this is Commander Agitha-"

"Tee hee! Hello!" Agitha sang, waving enthusiastically.

"-And we're going to- HEY! Put me DOWN!"

The Aeralfos had snatched him off the ground, and a large Bulblin was lumbering towards Agitha.

"Eek! You put down Lil' Aphid… I mean, Commander Lil' Aphid down right this instant!" Agitha summoned her monstrous stag beetle, which quickly disposed of the Bulblin pursuing her but couldn't quite reach Link and the Aeralfos. "Oh dear, I should have called the butterfly!"

"It's okay, I got this!" Link twisted his arm out of the monsters grasp and slashed at it, causing the creature to drop him. The wounded Aeralfos quickly retreated, hissing curses at him.

"Maybe we shouldn't be commanders…" Agitha said sadly to Link, who was crumpled on the ground. "It seems to be more trouble than it's worth…"

Link sat up, groaning. "Yeah, you're probably right. Besides, Lana really would have been mad if she saw what just happened."

Agitha nodded with a smile. "Yes, she's very kind, isn't she?" She straightened suddenly, eyes filled with worry. "Ah! Miss Butterfly? Where's Miss Butterfly?!"

It seemed the Goddess Butterfly had been lost in the chaos. Link stood quickly and pointed. "The butterfly must have gone that way, right? The only other exit is the way we came. Come on, maybe if we hurry we can find it!"

As they continued through the dark palace, strange echoing sounds began to reach their ears. "What the heck is that?" Link cried. "It sounds like a weird scratching noise..."

Agitha's brows were furrowed. "How odd." She mused. "I think I know that sound. But from where?" Suddenly, she stumbled to a stop and let out a piercing scream. Link staggered at the sound and whirled to face where she was looking, sword drawn.

An unbelievably huge, hairy spider that blanketed the whole ceiling was slowly stalking towards the now panicking Goddess Butterfly. Link gripped his sword tighter at the sight of the huge eye on its back, remembering the first monster he had ever faced in the depths of the Great Deku Tree. He glanced quickly at Agitha… and stared.

Sure, she was a bug fanatic, but Link had expected to see at least a small amount of fear on the girl's face. Instead, her eyes were feverishly alight, and she wore a massive grin. "H-he's _beautiful!_" She breathed.

"_That's _why you screamed?!" Link groaned. "And how do you know it's a boy?"

"It's obvious! Look, there, at the hooks on his legs! Oh, what a pretty boy! Such glossy urticating hairs! Lil' Aphid, go on with Miss Butterfly!" She held her parasol aloft with an almost maniacal look. "He's mine!"

"Um…" Link looked anxiously between the very small girl and the very large spider. "Be careful…"

The Goddess Butterfly, eager to get away from the hungry menace, frantically fluttered away with Link tailing it.

_This palace is so big… and so weirdly empty. _Link thought, glancing around uncomfortably. _I guess the Twili just don't really care about decorating. _It really was a stark contrast to the plush carpeting, decorative suits of armor, and giant portraits that lined Hyrule Castle's walls… or at least, the Hyrule Castle he knew, anyways. Perhaps this world's Zelda had different aesthetic tastes.

He heard voices ahead and slowed down, grabbing the Goddess Butterfly so it wouldn't get too far ahead. He was just about to peek carefully around the corner when Lana sprinted around it and crashed into him.

"Ow!" She yelped as they fell in a heap. Midna, who had been following Lana closely behind, saw them and snorted with laughter. "Stop laughing Midna! That hurt!" Lana protested, detangling herself from Link. "Are you okay, Mido?"

"I'm okay! He glanced down at his cupped hands. "And so is the butterfly!"

Lana's face shifted from concern to anger in a split second. "I see that you are _alone, _Mido, even though I asked very nicely for you to stay with Agitha."

Midna cackled. "You're in trouble, kid!"

"It's not my fault!" Link cried. _Oops, completely forgot about that order, actually. _"We saw a really, really giant spider and she liked it a lot! I think she's trying to befriend it or something."

Midna's laughter stopped abruptly. "Hold on, kid. Did it have an eye on its back?" Link nodded. "Ugh, SERIOUSLY?!" She turned to Lana. "It's ANOTHER one."

Lana groaned and stomped her foot in frustration. "Today is just the worst. Okay, Midna, stay with Mido, I don't want him alone. I'll go find Agitha and the gross sounding spider she loves so much."

"Wha?! Wait, I don't-" Midna started to protest, but Lana had already ran out of the room. "Jeez. I can barely keep up with that girl. Well, little Mido, it's you and me now. Let's go find that Gate of Souls, shall we?"

Link released the Goddess Butterfly, which seemed disoriented for a few seconds. "The Gate of Souls? Remember?" Link said helpfully. The butterfly perked up and resumed its path. "So what did you mean by "another one"? Has there been lots of spiders?"

Midna groaned, running her hands through her strange hair. "No, nothing like that. Apparently the witch thinks it's really funny to not only turn me into this form, but to send monsters after me that I already killed. …Okay, well, I didn't really kill them, personally. But I helped."

Link cocked his head to the side. "Well, who did kill them?"

Midna looked shocked. "Huh. I thought you… I assumed… Maybe he just didn't tell you about me."

"_Who_ didn't tell me about you?"

"Y-you know. Link? He… He's your father, right?" Midna was determinedly avoiding his gaze.

Link stumbled and almost fell. "No! He's not my dad! I don't even know him!" _Oh man, I'm so STUPID! This was Twi's imp friend! I didn't even recognize her! Sure, I'd only seen her a few times, but still!_

"Really?!" Midna seemed greatly relieved. "I just thought because you dressed similarly and you're both good with a sword… But what am I saying? Those have nothing to do with being related! I should have realized that sooner, huh?"

Link watched her out of the corner of his eye. She definitely seemed to care about Twi. _But Twi said she left him, didn't he? Why would she do that if she… _Unbidden, an image of Navi came to mind, and he quickly forced the question out of his thoughts. _As if I'd know the answer to that._

Suddenly, a bust of magic shot towards the Goddess Butterfly. Midna reacted swiftly, snatching the insect up with her own magic and dodging aside. "Who's there?!" She snarled, fists clenched.

Slowly, a figure emerged from the darkness. He wore very strange, oddly luminescent clothing with tassels dangling from the overlong sleeves. He wore a helmet, but he was clearly a Twili based on the way he was dressed. He made an odd cooing sound at the sight of Link and Midna.

"Well… if it isn't the little commander. How desperate the humans must be to employ children into their armies. You did well fighting against my men, but, then again, they weren't exactly very strong… And you, Midna. It's been so _long. _Have you missed me? Shall we embrace?"

"_Zant._" Midna whispered furiously. "This settles it. I'm going to kill that witch with my own hands."

Zant twisted his arms in what could have passed for a shrug, but really looked like he was trying to hug himself. "Unfortunately, I can't allow that. Under ordinary circumstances I'd _encourage _you to kill the wretch, but she has…" He breathed in shakily, as if to calm himself. "_Persuaded _me to join her cause."

Link's hand shot up in the air. "Oh! Mister Zant? If you don't mind, could you tell us what her cause actually is? Because I have no idea. She's all over the place, really."

Zant stared at Link, expression completely unreadable due to his mask. "You are entertaining. I'd tell you if I knew, but I do not. I was only recently revived, after all."

"Who CARES?" Midna shrieked. "I'll kill you, and then I'll kill the witch, and then _everything will be better. _Their stupid plans don't matter, Mido!" With that, she lunged for Zant, her hair like a spear. Zant bent backwards, easily dodging the strike.

"Rusty, Midna?" Zant sneered, his voice suddenly much higher pitched. "Well, I guess that's natural. Your pet isn't here to do all the dirty work!"

"You shut your mouth!" She slammed her hair-fist down, missing again. Link looked for an opening so that he could assist, but the two were moving so quickly he was afraid he'd accidentally hit Midna.

"And then," Zant stomped his feet multiple times, "after he does all the hard work, all of _your _hard work, you go and steal the kill! Tell me Midna, did our people hail you as a hero when you returned for slaying me? I bet they did! And I BET YOU DIDN'T SAY A THING TO CORRECT THEM!" Taking advantage of Midna's lapse in concentration, Zant lunged at her with his scimitars. Link dove into the fray, blocking both scimitars with the Gilded Sword. Zant tried to use his weight to push Link to the ground, but Link was used to such tactics and rolled to the side, slashing upward at the madman as he did. Zant let out a screech but didn't flinch in pain, swinging down at Link's now exposed stomach. Before the blade could make contact, Midna's hair-fist punched Zant so hard he smashed into the wall behind him.

"You okay, Mido?!" She helped Link to his feet.

Zant let out a drawn out cry like a toddler throwing a temper tantrum. "Good enough! I delayed you long enough! Leaving! I'm LEAVING!" With that, he teleported away.

"Coward…" Midna muttered.

The sound of heavy breathing approached from behind. Lana reached them, stumbling to a stop and placing her hands on her knees as she gasped for air. "Did… I… miss…"

"We fought someone named Zant." Midna said briskly. "He stole my throne years ago and he should be dead. The witch must have revived him as well."

Lana straightened, looking embarrassed. "Sorry! There was this _giant_ Stalfos that popped out of the ground and then I got lost…" She peeked around them. "Ah! There it is! The Gate of Souls!" She eagerly ran into the large room with Link and Midna at her heels. Quickly, Lana used her magic and forced the gate closed. "Ugh, finally! Let's leave… already…" The words died on her lips as she turned and saw someone standing behind them. "Cia?!"

"Ah, Lana. What a nice surprise. I didn't expect to see you here." Cia simpered. "I thought for certain you'd follow that special someone into the Land of the Sky."

"YOU!" Midna spat out. "You did this to me! Change me back NOW!"

Cia didn't seem to be listening. Her head was turned towards Link, and she appeared to be staring at him though her mask. "…Those clothes…"

"W-what about them?" Link asked defensively. "Your clothes are way weirder than mine! They're barely even there! Don't you get cold? Sunburned? Bug bitten?"

Cia disregarded his attempts at deflection. "Tell me your name, child."

"Don't IGNORE ME!" Midna's hair shot towards Cia, smashing directly into her face. Cia let out a cry of pain and surprise as the mask she wore flew off, revealing her face.

Lana grimaced as both Midna and Link did a double take at Cia before staring at her. "I'm sorry." She said quietly to them as the woman with the same face across from her staggered to her feet. "I should have told you guys about this."

"Are you twins?" Midna breathed.

"No. I'm Cia's other half. Once, we were the same person."

Midna gaped in shock, but Link barely reacted at all, too distracted by the unwavering stare Cia had fixed on him. Her lips curved into a smile.

"Well, child, my mask is gone… How about you take off yours?"

"No." Link said firmly, crossing his arms.

Cia sighed in disappointment. "What a shame… Then I'll have to tear it off myself." She swung her staff, which turned into a mace unexpectedly. Badly caught off guard, Link didn't have time to shield himself and took the full force of the blow.

"Mido!" Lana shrieked as Link went flying, mask falling to the ground.

A bright flash of light caught everyone's eye, and suddenly a bolt of energy knocked Cia back and blinded everyone else. When their vision returned, they could see a man holding Link so that his face was still obscured.

"Sky?" Link whispered disbelievingly. His predecessor smiled down at him. "Thank goodness. I almost just blew everything."

"Tsk, another one?" Cia glared. "I don't have time for this. Show me the boy's face, now."

Sky didn't answer her and sent another bolt of light in her direction with his sword. As she blocked the attack, Sky turned and sprinted towards the palace balcony.

"H-hey!" Lana cried, distressed. "Who are you?! You can't just take Mido!"

"Sorry, Lana." Link murmured, too quietly to be heard. Sky's Loftwing was perched readily on the balcony. Sky threw himself and Link onto the bird's back and they took off as yelling voices echoed behind them.

Link slunk down. "My Keaton mask…" He groaned. "That belongs to a friend…"

Sky placed a comforting hand on his head. "I'm sure they'll understand."

Link frowned, glancing backwards at him. "…Are you okay?"

Sky furrowed his brow. "Am I acting strange?"

"No, but you're burning up. Are you sick?"

Sky sighed and nodded. Link grimaced. "So you're sick and I lost my disguise. Ghirahim is never going to let us hear the end of this."


	15. Chapter 15

"This," Ghirahim muttered as he glowered at the statue of Link before him, "could only be described as disturbing."

He was initially pleased when he found himself being ushered into the witch's hideout by her soldiers. And why shouldn't he be? He had successfully wormed his way into the enemy ranks, and now his task of discovering Cia's motives, allies, and weaknesses would be much simpler than when he was chasing around rumors spouted by the common folk. But, to his disappointment, the witch wasn't even there, and to his severe discomfort, there were statues and portraits of all the incarnations of the heroes he'd met on nearly every available surface. Now all he could do was wait with the self-proclaimed "true heir to the throne of the Twilight Realm", surrounded by these images of the hero.

"Indeed." Zant drawled from behind him. "She also has some of the mongrel from my world. Perhaps she believes paraphilia is lessened by the presence of roses." He waved his arms awkwardly in the air as if to ward off the many blossoms' thick scent.

Ghirahim cringed. "Come now, it is disconcerting, but must you make it seem sexual? It could be a platonic obsession."

Zant snorted, arms still upraised. "Platonic or no, it's still an obsession with a child and a dog. And full grown men as well, but let's not discuss that. I'm venting, you see, and I'd much prefer to focus on the nastier aspects of this witch's personality. It makes me feel better."

Ghirahim watched him carefully out of the corner of his eye as he wandered around the expansive, rose covered courtyard. "I take it the two of you didn't meet under the best circumstances."

Zant's arms dropped to his sides, and he stood perfectly straight. "An understatement. I did not ask to be resurrected, nor did I ask to take part in a pointless war that benefits me in no way." He pointed. "Look, there's another portrait of a child. Reprehensible. Horrible. Inconceivable. I'd bet she's terribly ugly underneath her mask, too."

Ghirahim peered at the painting. He hadn't met this incarnation of the hero. He had an expressive face and cat-like eyes, and appeared to be controlling the wind with a baton, of all things. Just how many heroes were out there? _In any case, _he thought, _this is an excellent opportunity for me. If I'm careful about this, I could probably convince Zant to join my side. Caution is key, though. He's clearly mad, and I can't risk having him reveal me._

"Hello, boys. Sorry to keep you waiting."

They turned. Zant was wrong, it seemed. Cia was stunning, despite the fact that her excessively revealing clothes were clearly a plea for attention. Ghirahim immediately dropped into a deep bow.

"How wonderful to finally meet you, my lady." He cooed. "May I ask what kept you?"

Cia smirked down at him. "I'm glad to meet you as well, Ghirahim. You were of great assistance to me for delaying the hero. As for why I was late…" She scowled. "Let me just say that we've lost an ally and gained an enemy. It matters not though. I still hold the Triforce of Power."

"And what happened to Wisdom and Courage?" Zant's voice sounded oddly restrained. He seemed to be attempting to hold his resentment in check. "You were in possession of them when you resurrected me, mistress."

"I was forced to send those pieces away to keep them out of the clutches of that… _pig._" She growled as she turned away. "They've most likely returned to the princess and the hero. It will not be long before I claim them again… along with the hero's heart."

Ghirahim froze, and behind her back he and Zant exchanged a look. "My lady…" Ghirahim hoped his voice didn't actually sound as strained as he thought it did. "Do you mean literally, or…"

Cia shot the two of them a quelling glare. "Since the creation of the Triforce, I watched over it as I was ordered by the Goddesses without complaint. Alone, for centuries, I guarded it against the flow of time. I am not ashamed of the fact that during that hard time, I fell in love with the hero. Or, to be more precise… I love his soul. His enduring strength in no matter what form it takes is what gave me the will to carry on even through the nights when I felt utterly alone. And now that I am free of the Goddesses' tyranny, I will have the Triforce for myself… and I will have him." She began to walk away. "You may do as you please for the time being. The Hylian army seems spent, so we have a temporary reprieve. Enjoy it while you can, boys."

The very second she was out of earshot, Zant began jumping in a circle around Ghirahim. "Told you, told youuu!"

"I don't feel well." Ghirahim rubbed his face. "Does this mean everything she's done has been for "love"?"

"And ultimate power. But mostly love, yes." Zant wobbled. "Poor, poor thing. The hero would never want someone like her. He likes monstrous little imps, or at least, the one I knew did! Ha ha ha!"

Ghirahim glanced at the sky. The sun had not yet set, but he had endured enough of this stifling place already. "I need some fresh air. Try not to snap completely while I'm away, Zant." He flashed him a grin. "I'd hate to miss the fun."

"I'll try my utmost to remain calm." Zant said while apparently attempting to bend backwards far enough to touch the floor. Ghirahim rolled his eyes and teleported away.

Arriving in the forest, Ghirahim took a deep breath, massaging his temples. _Unbelievable. All of this chaos is because she wants a man who doesn't even know her. How pathetic. I'd call it "pitiful", but I've become so irritated I can't even feel sorry for her._

The smell of food pulled him from his thoughts, and he arrived in the base he had claimed to see Twi idly stirring a large pot of stew.

"You're early." Twi tossed what appeared to be diced pumpkin into the broth.

"And you're earlier, puppy. I trust everything went well?" Ghirahim seated himself in one of the chairs the Hylian army had left behind. Twi shrugged, not meeting his eyes.

"On my end, yeah." He glanced up. "You think there's any rivers or ponds around here? This would be better with some fish."

"Yes, there's a river nearby. What do you mean, "on your end"?"

Twi threw some dirt over his cooking fire until it was only embers. "Which way is it?"

Ghirahim crossed his arms. "I will tell you once you _explain._"

Twi sighed. "Sky might be a little sick."

Ghirahim slowly raised an eyebrow and motioned for him to elaborate.

"Well, I don't know the details, but he came out of a battle soaking wet and freezing. And since he had to go fetch Link there was no time for him to rest, so his immune system is probably shot by now."

"Hence the soup?"

"Yeah."

"What an idiot." Twi opened his mouth to protest. "Not you, puppy, the sky child." He pointed. "The river is that way."

Twi transformed and loped away. Ghirahim edged closer and eyed the concoction with a bewildered expression. Yes, that was definitely pumpkin floating in there. And was that… cheese?

Ghirahim heard the footsteps return. "That was quick."

Twi returned to his human form and shrugged. "Country bumpkin, remember? If you couldn't fish in Ordon Village, you had to garden… and I can't seem to keep plants alive. Can you summon a dagger for me so I can cut this up?"

Ghirahim snapped his fingers and tossed him the blade. "And where on earth did you learn this bizarre recipe?"

"A yeti taught me." Twi busied himself with removing the bones from the fish, steadily ignoring Ghirahim's flummoxed stare. Suddenly he cocked his head to the side. "You hear something?"

Ghirahim listened, and he realized that there were voices nearby.

"…Should be somewhere around here, right?"

"I think I smell food, so it must be! _Ghirahimm! Twiii!" _

Ghirahim scowled and teleported in the direction of the voices. He was quite pleased when he wound up right behind the two unsuspecting heroes.

"We're meeting in _secret _for a reason, little one." He sniffed, amused at seeing the two jump. "Please don't announce our location to the whole forest."

Link whirled with a huge grin. "Ghirahim!" He sang, throwing his arms around the sword spirit's waist. "It's been like, forever! Did you miss us?!"

Ghirahim was surprised at the boy's eagerness to see him. He awkwardly patted his head. "It's only been a week, little one." He glanced at Sky before doing a double take. "You look _terrible._"

Sky sighed. "Nice to see you too, Ghirahim. I'm fine, thanks for asking."

"_Are _you?" Ghirahim detached himself from Link and leaned closer. "Fascinating. I've never seen a sick human before. You really are so pathetically frail." Sky just glared at him blearily.

"Where's the base, anyways?" Link asked.

Ghirahim beckoned to them and led them to their destination. Twi's soup, which smelled shockingly good despite its unusual composition, was now bubbling merrily in the pot. Twi stood to greet the two heroes.

"Twi!" Link happily hugged him. "I saw Agitha!"

Twi looked startled. "You did? Is she okay?"

"More than okay! She's amazing! She has giant bugs that squish monsters!"

Twi gaped. "Are you messing with me?"

"Nope!"

"…Damn." He rubbed his forehead. "I should have known. All the times I ever saw her wandering Hyrule Field hunting for bugs, the monsters never seemed to want to go near her. I don't know if I should be relieved or annoyed." He eyed Sky. "You should probably sit down. How're you feeling?"

Sky sat down heavily. "I seem to have the flu." He sighed. "It should pass in a few days. I'm sorry for any inconveniences it may cause in the meantime."

Ghirahim sniffed. "You should be. Now we're down to an army of three."

"Um… I guess I should just tell you while you're mad anyways…" Link looked down at his feet. "I kind of lost my mask."

Ghirahim froze. "Were you seen?"

Link shook his head quickly. "No, thanks to Sky. But I think the Time Witch might have suspected me to begin with. She kept telling me to take off my mask."

"Oh dear." Ghirahim groaned. "Well, that settles it. The sky child and the little one are, for the time being, benched. Consider it a punishment for your ineptitude."

"Whaaat?!" Link protested. "Sky I get, he needs rest, but why me?! I have tons of other masks! Why are you calling the shots anyways?"

Ghirahim rose an eyebrow at Twi. "You didn't tell them?"

Twi shrugged. "I may have chickened out."

Ghirahim rolled his eyes. "Well, the puppy and I discussed it, and we decided that I should be the leader of our ragtag ensemble."

Link opened his mouth and closed it again before pouting. "I… I guess that makes sense…"

"It makes perfect logical sense." Sky leaned back against a collapsed tent. "He is the oldest among us, the best tactician, and is the only one here who has ever been in a war before. I still hate the idea. I vote no."

Ghirahim smirked. "Well, unfortunately for you, you're outvoted."

Link raised his hand as Twi poured Sky a bowl of soup. "Can I hold my vote for ransom until you agree to let me do stuff again?"

"Absolutely not. Now, let's focus on the reason we came here." He turned his gaze to the sky. "Ah, good, it's finally nighttime. Now our meeting has flair."

Link winced, eyes flicking to the full moon. "Can we meet on the new moon next time? That has flair too, right?"

Ghirahim frowned at him. "Do you have a problem with the full moon? I'd have thought that would be Twi's quirk."

"Very funny."

Link flushed and looked away. "Well, since Termina nearly got crushed by a falling moon, I think I have a pretty good reason for not liking it."

Sky's eyes widened. "Goodness! The ocean tides must have-"

"_Focus._" Ghirahim growled. "I swear to the Goddesses you three are more easily distractible than squirrels."

"You're the one who asked." Twi said, resting his chin on his palm.

Ghirahim acted as thought Twi hadn't spoken. "Now, we are all going to report our findings, starting with the little one."

Link looked thrilled to be first. "Okay! So I met a commander from the Hylian army. Her name is Lana, and she has blue hair, which is kind of weird, but she's still really nice. I also met Agitha and…" He smiled at Twi. "…Your friend. Midna, right?"

Twi's face became unreadable. When it became clear he had nothing to say on the matter, Link continued. "Anyways, the Time Witch-"

"Black Witch." Ghirahim sighed, "She's called the Black Witch now. That's another reason why she's probably suspicious of you."

"I never called her that to her face, I'm sure it's fine. Like I was saying, she resurrected this guy named Zant to work for her. He didn't seem to like her much though. After that, I found out that Cia and Lana used to be the same person somehow."

Ghirahim nodded. "Yes, it's possible that Zant may prove to be an ally in the future. His resentment for the witch is clear, and I seem to have established a rapport with him."

Twi made a face. "I'm not a fan of that idea, but I won't pretend he wouldn't be a useful ally. Just be careful when dealing with him, Ghirahim."

"Naturally. Your turn, sky child."

Sky edged closer to the fire, shivering slightly. "I met several members of the Hylian army, including this world's Zelda and Impa. I also met a Zora princess named Ruto, a Goron chieftain named Darunia, and a talking fairy named Navi."

For a second, out of the corner of his eye, Ghirahim thought he saw a look of pure despair on Link's face, but when he turned the boy's expression was set like stone. Sky, who hadn't noticed anything, continued speaking without a pause. "I encountered one of Cia's commanders as well. His name is Wizzro, and he can shapeshift, apparently. We should be wary of him. He doesn't seem too clever, but his magic is very strong."

"My turn?" Twi asked, looking to Ghirahim, who nodded. "I met the hero of this world."

Link and Sky lit up at that. "What's he like?" Link asked.

"Interesting, that's for sure. He has a fairy friend named Proxi, and she does the talking while he does the fighting."

"So he's quiet?" Sky queried.

"Nah, just doesn't have any social skills. Aside from that I met a sword spirit named Fi, and Volga, an enemy commander." Twi said as he poked the fire with a broken spear.

Sky smiled fondly. "So Fi's still around, then. How is she?"

"Hard to say, she's pretty robotic, but good I think. Anyways, what about you, Ghirahim? What did you learn?"

Ghirahim laced his fingers together pensively. "I know the witch's motivation."

The three heroes leaned forward expectantly.

"She's in love. With you."

Their reactions were varied. Link looked confused, Twi wrinkled his nose in disgust, and Sky seemed flustered.

"Wait, what? She loves all three of us?" Link frowned. "That makes no sense at all!"

Ghirahim shrugged. "I'm bewildered myself, little one. From what I understood, she more specifically loves the eternal soul of the hero. Her affections seem primarily directed towards the Link of this world. She has an entire room filled with portraits of him. You three all got statues, though."

Twi snorted. "That's just weird."

Sky shook his head. "I don't really understand… She doesn't even know us. Perhaps the soul of the hero is eternal, but the three of us share that same soul and we're all very different people. I imagine the same is true with this world's Link. It seems she's more in love with a concept than an actual person."

"Also, if she loves us, why didn't she summon the parts of the world that we were in?" Link crossed his arms. "Wouldn't she _want _us here?"

Ghirahim grimaced. "I think that because she is in love with the soul, she doesn't care which hero she gets, and since there's already a Link in this world, she had what she wanted in reach without bringing you three here. However, that does raise the question of why she would summon parts from other worlds to begin with. It seems there are still mysteries yet to be unraveled."

"Okay, stop." Twi rubbed his face. "Let's talk about something else. Can we stop sneaking around now and just join the Hylian army?"

Ghirahim pondered that for a moment. "It depends. If Cia knows that you three are here, then yes, there is no longer a point to acting covertly. However, if she hasn't fully realized our intentions yet – and I say "our" loosely, by the way, she doesn't suspect me at all – then we have an advantage. By remaining separate from the Hylian army, you retain the element of surprise. It might even turn the tides of the war, should things start going poorly for them. Since she thinks I'm on her side, I can find out how much she knows so we can make that decision, but until then, I'm having you keep a low profile."

Twi frowned. "Wait, I thought I wasn't benched."

"Well, you aren't in the sense that you did your job properly. But yes, you stay here for now."

"We did our jobs properly too!" Link protested, pouting. "We just had some trouble!"

Sky interrupted with a shuddering cough. Twi stood and strode over to him, placing his hand on Sky's forehead. "Okay, I think we've talked about everything we needed to. You have a bad fever. Go to sleep before you pass out."

Ghirahim nodded in agreement. "Indeed." He eyed the base distastefully. "These sleeping conditions aren't ideal, but it's better than the witch's rose infested temple. I'll stay for the night as well."

"Slumber party!" Link cheered before Sky coughed again. "Or… maybe not."


	16. Chapter 16

A loud cry tore Ghirahim from the comfort of sleep. His eyes snapped opened, disoriented by the fact that it was still dark. Staggering to his feet, he snapped his fingers and summoned several daggers, frantically looking for whatever enemy had caused one of his companions alarm.

"Skull Kid?! What are you _doing _here?" Link was clutching his head and appeared to be in pain. A strange looking imp was crumpled on the ground next to him, also holding its head.

"Why did you head-butt me, Link?" It sniveled. "Best friends don't head-butt each other!"

"Skull Kid, you were crouched over me while I was sleeping, you startled me, and I sat up too quickly! It was an accident!" Link huffed. "What have I told you about watching people while they sleep?"

Skull Kid pouted. "That it's creepy…"

"Yes! It's creepy, and if you had done that to Twi instead of me, he probably would have turned into a wolf and ate you!"

"Don't tempt me." Twi growled, looking more intimidating than usual as the light of the full moon harshly illuminated his features. "You have any idea what time it is, imp?" As he said this, Sky rolled over, placing a pillow on his head to block out their voices. "Sky is sick. He needs his rest!"

"Oh, I know you!" Skull Kid announced enthusiastically, disregarding Twi's menacing expression. "Hey, remember that time we played that really fun game in the forest together?"

"…You mean when you made me chase you through an endless maze while you summoned puppet demons to attack me, all the while playing an obnoxious song on a trumpet?"

Skull Kid beamed. "Yeah, that was great! We played all day, didn't we? You were really bad at that game, you got lost in the forest for hours! Heehee!"

"…What is that thing?" Sky had given up on sleeping and was now groggily eyeing the giggling imp.

"Not a single clue." Ghirahim snapped his fingers again, making the daggers dissipate. "I'm going to make a guess and say that this is your informant, little one?"

"Hm?" Link looked puzzled for a second. "Oh, right. I forgot you'd never met. Yeah, Skull Kid is the one who told me about the Time- I mean, the Black Witch. He also taught me about traveling between times and stuff like that. I know he seems weird, but he's actually really nice. Say hi to everybody, Skull Kid!"

"Hiya!" Skull Kid bounded over to Sky, who edged backwards. "Wow, you look AWFUL! Are you dying?"

Sky made a small, exasperated noise in the back of his throat. Ghirahim peered at the imp with a combination of fascination and annoyance. "And what exactly is it that you're doing here, may I ask? You can clearly see that this is not the opportune time for a visit. We're in the middle of a war, here."

Skull Kid cocked his head to the side. "Looks to me like you're just laying around. Not a very interesting war, huh?" Ignoring the furious looks this earned him, he continued talking. "I just wanted to tell you that there's a sword of evil's bane in this world. It'd probably be pretty helpful, don't you think so?"

"What?!" Link gasped. "You mean the Master Sword? Why didn't you mention it before I left?"

Skull Kid shrugged. "I couldn't see it. The witch's magic was all swirly and evil and everywhere, but since you closed the Gates of Souls I can sense things like I normally do again. Buuuut, there's a catch. A really, big, bad catch."

"Just spill it." Twi looked impatient. "What could possibly be so bad about the Master Sword?"

"It's a key. A seal for an evil soul. The other keys were in the parts of the other worlds that were summoned. The blade of evil's bane is the only thing keeping _him_ from fully reviving."

"Oh, jeez." Link blanched. "You're talking about Ganondorf, aren't you? So that's why Cia brought pieces from other worlds here? She's trying to resurrect him?"

"I see…" Ghirahim said thoughtfully. "It makes sense now. The witch's job was to watch over the Triforce without any distractions. If Ganondorf was allowed to be reborn in this world as my master's curse dictates, then she'd never be able to do her duty properly."

"…I fail to see why this is a problem at all." Sky murmured. Everyone looked at him in surprise, except for Skull Kid, who was too busy staring at Ghirahim's attire. "Look, maybe my brain is frying from fever right now and what I'm about to say is going to sound rather stupid, but Link and Twi have both killed Ganondorf in the past and," he peered worriedly at Ghirahim, "don't stab me for saying this, but I killed Demise, who was probably the strongest incarnation, if you can even call it that, of Ganondorf. So what's the big deal? We get the sword, we cut him down before he can reclaim this world's piece of the Triforce of Power, and then we use the sword against the Black Witch."

Ghirahim stared dumbfounded at Sky. "Sky child, did you just say something reasonable?"

Twi rolled his eyes. "Sky is always reasonable. You're usually too busy calling him stupid to notice. What do you think we should do?"

Ghirahim mulled it over. "…It galls me to say this, but I think the sky child is right. This Ganondorf does not sound like much of a threat. The sky child holds the complete Triforce, which proved to be… effective against my master, to say the least, and the puppy and the little one have two pieces-"

"No I don't." Link interrupted.

Twi rose his eyebrows. "Wait, you didn't take Ganondorf's piece when you beat him? Did the Zelda of your time take it?"

"No, I mean I don't have any Triforce at all."

Sky sputtered. "How is that possible? You're so strong! Shouldn't you at least have the Triforce of Courage?"

Link shrugged. "The Triforce isn't the only thing in the world that can make you strong. And yes, I used to have the Triforce of Courage, but when I decided I was going to stay in Termina I broke my piece into little shards and hid them all over my original time so that bad guys couldn't find them. I hid them super well, too!" He finished smugly.

"Yes, _so_ well you're descendant probably hates you for it." Skull Kid chimed in.

"What?! I'm sure he…" Link's voice trailed off. "Okay, you're right, he probably hates me."

Ghirahim sighed. "Well, then. The little one may not be blessed by the Goddesses, but he certainly makes up for it with his abundance of magic, swordplay, and unpleasant enchanted masks-"

"You haven't even seen most of them!"

"-That he may only use in the most _dire _of circumstances. So, I think the pros of obtaining this weapon more than outweigh the cons." Ghirahim paused. "The only question is, who is going to wield it?"

.

.

.

"Where is everybody? Proxi, are you sure we were supposed to meet here?" Link said, pacing anxiously in the Hyrule Castle courtyard.

"For, like, the millionth time, _yes _Link. This is where Impa said to meet once we closed the Gate of Souls." Proxi peered around. "Hey, where did Fi get to? Wasn't she just here?"

Link shrugged. "I asked her to examine the soldier's equipment and let me know how much of it needs replacing. She seems pretty good at that sort of thing." He grimaced. "Like how she kept insisting that my scarf increased my likelihood of death by choking to 12%."

"Oh dear." Proxi stifled laughter. "I mean, at least it makes you look cool, right?"

"Uh, rude. I'd still look cool without it." Link folded his hands behind his head and turned away.

"Whatever you say." Proxi snorted.

"I like it too!"

"AGH!" Link choked as someone unexpectedly grabbed the end of his scarf. "Who-?!"

"Oh, sorry. I was just trying to get a look at it."

Link stared at the creature. "Are you, by any chance, a sentient pineapple?"

The creature stomped his foot. "No! I'm not tasty! I'm Skull Kid!"

Proxi flew forward. "Well, it's very nice to meet you, Skull Kid, but Link meant to ask _what _you are, not who."

"I'm Skull Kid. I'm a Skull Kid!"

Link slapped his hand to his head. Proxi struggled for a reply. "Oh. That's… um… nice. And how exactly did you get into the castle grounds, Skull Kid? Civilians really shouldn't be here."

A wide, unintentionally creepy grin spread across Skull Kid's face. "Magic. And that's how I'm going to kidnap you! Don't worry, it's only for a little bit!"

"What?!" Link yelped as strange symbols began to swirl around him. He barely had time to string together a few rather colorful insults before slamming face-first onto the ground.

"Oh my Goddesses! Are you okay, Link?!" Proxi darted around him anxiously.

Link sat up angrily. "_Peachy. _I liked having a functioning nose and all, but it's fine, I'm SURE I'LL JUST MAKE DO WITHOUT IT!" He pinched it to stop the flow of blood and looked around irritably. "Why're we in the forest?"

Music started suddenly from the treetops. Link looked for the source and was infuriated to see Skull Kid dancing around happily, playing what looked like a handcrafted trumpet.

"I'm having roasted pineapple for dinner tonight." Link growled, reaching for his fire rod menacingly.

"Don't! Stupid, you'll burn the whole forest down!" Proxi smacked his hand away from the magical weapon.

"Sacrifices have to be made, Proxi!"

"Hee hee! You can't caaaatch meeee!" Skull Kid cackled before dancing away through the trees. Link made a strangled sound of rage and took off in pursuit.

As he ran, he strained his ears for the sound of Skull Kid's song, blindly following wherever it led.

"Link, I don't think this is a good idea!" Proxi called from behind him, struggling to keep up. "We're going really deep into the forest! The last time we were here Wizzro attacked us! What are we going to do if we're ambushed and there's nobody around to help us?!"

"It's a several day journey to get back to Hyrule Castle from here!" He replied through gritted teeth. "If we don't catch that thing and make it take us back soon, the others are going to think Cia has captured me and launch an attack on the enemy base, which we are _totally _unequipped to handle!"

He made a sharp turn and stumbled into a large clearing, blinking in surprise. There was nobody there, save for a lone figure laying on the ground and bundled up in blankets by a campfire. Link started to approach the figure, assuming he was a lost traveler.

"AH! WAIT!" Skull Kid called down, sounding somewhat panicky. "That's my best friend's friend! He's sick! Don't go near him or you'll get sick too! You don't want that, do you?"

Link glared at the imp. "Why'd you lead me this way if you didn't want me near this guy?"

Skull Kid scowled. "I didn't. You just suck at this game."

"GAME?!" Link snarled. "Is that what this is?! A GAME?!"

"…Please go away. You're terribly loud." The bundled up figure groaned.

"Oh! Sorry! We didn't mean to wake you, sir!" Proxi apologized hurriedly. "We'll be on our way now!" Link was already running off after the imp. "Ack! Stop ditching me, Link!"

After running for quite a while, Link stumbled to a stop. He could no longer hear the imp's song. As he strained to hear, he flinched at the sound of footsteps and waited, sword at the ready.

"Link! I found you!" Lana sauntered out of the bushes, grinning widely. Link stared at her, frowning.

"You look pale." He grunted, looking to Proxi for confirmation. She bobbled in agreement.

Lana's grin faltered. "I- I don't know what you mean! I always look like this! I'm naturally fair skinned, you see."

Link shook his head. "No, I mean _all _of you looks pale."

"Yes, your hair and clothes normally seem very vivid, but today they look rather dull." Proxi flew in circles around the witch. "Sun damage, maybe? Oh, and Link also meant to say hi, by the way. Formalities tend to escape him."

Lana smiled, but it looked strained. "Ah, yes, that's fine. So, what on earth are you doing running around in the forest… all by yourselves?"

Abruptly, the music started playing again. Link jerked his head towards the sound. "We'll explain later. Wait here." With that, he took off at a sprint, hoping to end the pursuit soon.

"Link, Lana was acting pretty strangely…" Proxi murmured.

Link shrugged. "We don't really know her that well… But I agree. No time to dwell on that now, though! I think we're finally gaining on that stupid pineapple!"

He was surprised when he suddenly felt his foot strike stone instead of soft earth. Blinking, he realized with a jolt that what he was standing on was no longer the forest floor, but a pathway overgrown with moss.

"What the…" He gasped. "What is this place?"

"Look!" Proxi nudged him. "There's stairs! Where do you think they lead?"

Slowly, Link made his way up the ancient staircase and stepped into a room filled with light. In the center, gleaming on a pedestal, seemingly untouched by the wreckage of time surrounding it, was a sword.

"This is the sword of evil's bane." Skull Kid's voice echoed into the room, although he seemed to not be present. "It goes by many names, but the most common name is the Master Sword. With this sword, you will be able to cut through the darkness and restore light to this world… and many others."

Link started forward but hesitated, looking to Proxi. "What are you waiting for?!" She breathed. "That sounds amazing! Go for it, Link!"

He obliged, grasping the handle and easily pulling the blade from the stone. As he did, a tremendous ray of light illuminated the room.

"Woah." Link gave it an experimental swing. "This feels _great! _I've never held a sword this well made before!"

"That sword! How did you find that SWORD?!"

Link turned to see Lana at the entrance of the room, her face crumpled in fury. "Are you okay?"

"Okay?! You FOOL, BOY! I'll KILL you for this! KIIILLL YOUUU!"

Link pointed the sword at her. "I don't know why, but I'm starting to think you aren't actually Lana. As if getting the colors wrong wasn't an obvious enough reason, anyways."

A cloud of darkness surrounded the fake Lana, revealing it had been Wizzro all along. "Silence! You die here and now, brat! I don't care if the witch wants to bed you, you've gone and made yourself too powerful! You can't be allowed to live."

Link pretended to toss his hair. "In her defense, who doesn't want me?"

Proxi snorted. "I'd say a majority of people, actually."

"Don't make light of me! TAKE THIS!" Wizzro raised his hands and shot a powerful bolt of dark magic at Link. Link raised the blade, only intending to block the blast, but to his shock the sword not only kept the magic from hitting him but knocked it full force back at Wizzro.

Wizzro screeched in pain as his own magic seared through him. "Agh, I knew it! You're too strong now, damn it! I'm out of here!" He hastily teleported away before Link could attack him again.

Link stared at the Master Sword in awe.

"Still want to roast me?" Skull Kid popped into view, a smug grin on his face.

"Skull Kid, this is amazing! Link is invincible now!" Proxi cried happily. "How can we possibly thank you for this?"

Skull Kid giggled. "Teehee, it's no problem! I did it as a favor for my best friend. Anyways, you should probably get back to the castle now, right? I can take you there!"

Link looked grateful, and he and Proxi disappeared with a flash, never noticing the onlookers peering out from behind the stone columns.


	17. Chapter 17

"Lana, how much farther is the castle, anyways? My feet are tired from walking!" Midna whined, folding her arms behind her head. The smirk on her face made it clear that she wasn't actually upset, but she did seem a bit restless from having to match pace with the soldiers and to not just fly ahead.

Lana sighed. "I'd say sorry, but since you're floating, I'm finding it hard to sympathize with you. Besides, we're almost there." She pointed. "See? You can see it in the distance there. Anyways, I've been meaning to ask, are you sure that leaving Agitha behind was a good idea? She seemed a bit disappointed that she couldn't come with us."

Midna frowned. "Yeah, I know, and I felt bad about it, but I think the only reason she wanted to come along was because she was hoping to find that kid, Mido. And, let's be realistic, that's a terrible reason for being involved in a war. Besides, I meant what I said when I told her I needed someone to protect my people while I'm gone. She's surprisingly tough, and she has her newest "friend" to help, too."

Lana cringed and shook her head. "I still can't believe she tamed that monster spider."

"You can say that again!" Midna snorted. Lana glanced at her hesitantly.

"What do you think that was all about, anyways? With Mido, I mean." She asked, twisting her hands. Midna stopped laughing immediately, scowling in thought.

"No clue, but he obviously has some connection to Cia. She seemed to recognize him, and he wanted to find her almost as badly as I did. Why?"

Lana bit her lip, wondering how to phrase her thoughts properly. "Do you think… he looked like Link?"

Midna looked startled. "Huh?! Well, um, yeah, but I asked if he was Link's kid and he said no, and he didn't sound like he was lying. Wait, how do you know Link?"

"Remember how I told you about different times and dimensions? The Hero is constantly being reborn, so I know a different Link than the one you know. He has the same soul, but a different mind. Do you understand?"

"I think so. But what does that have to do with Mido?" Midna furrowed her brow, unable to follow Lana's train of thought.

Lana looked away and didn't answer, annoyed at herself for bringing it up in the first place. _What am I saying? He couldn't have been an incarnation of the hero. Cia wouldn't make such a critical error, and none of the heroes had the power to freely travel through time and dimensions. _Midna was clearly irritated that Lana had disregarded her question, but by then they had arrived at the Hyrule Castle grounds and there wasn't time to pursue the topic further. Lana waved cheerfully at the gate guards who saluted respectfully. A few of the younger patrolling soldiers openly gaped at Midna, but she either didn't notice or didn't care, peering around with an interested expression.

"Commander Lana," the captain of the guard approached. "Commander Link is awaiting your arrival in the courtyard."

Lana tried to repress the fluttering feeling in her stomach at Link's name and nodded to the captain. "I understand, thank you Captain." She turned to her soldiers and gave them a wide grin. "Well done, men! You're all dismissed for the time being. Relax and visit your families and friends while you can. Enjoy yourselves, because you deserve it!"

The men cheered and scattered in every direction as Lana and Midna made their way to the courtyard. Link was lying in the grass on his back, apparently embroiled in a light-hearted debate with Proxi.

"Well, I think it's because I look _great._ Maybe in her mind that compensates for all of my horrible, inherent flaws, like my crippling inability to talk to people, my lousy cooking, my alarming tendency to accidentally break pottery-"

"Accidentally my butt. You broke that vase on purpose and we both know it. Anyways, I think it's because you're such a nice guy underneath the snarky exterior. Women are huge suckers for that kind of thing."

Link sniffed. "She wouldn't know that, though. We've exchanged, what, a single sentence with each other? She probably doesn't even know I'm left-handed, let alone that I'm "nice"." As he spoke, Proxi perked up, noticing Lana and Midna's approach.

"Oh! Lana, you're back! Hi!" Proxi darted over to her as Link rolled to his feet, brushing grass off his tunic. "You're the real Lana this time, right?"

Lana blinked, confused. "Excuse me? Of course I'm real."

Link strode over. "We were ambushed in the forest by Wizzro. He can shapeshift, apparently, because he looked like you at first." He said all of this while staring intently at Midna with a mildly bewildered expression. Midna rolled her eyes.

"Before you ask, I'm a Twili, you dolt."

Link shrugged. "I was actually going to ask if you only have one eye or if you just willingly gave up your depth perception in favor of that helmet."

Proxi smacked him on the forehead. "Be _nice _to our new ally, Link! You are a new ally, right? I'd like to apologize on Link's behalf."

Midna, to everyone's surprise, simply laughed, not looking at all angry. "You know what? It's totally fine. You actually sort of remind me of the Link I knew. He wasn't as sarcastic as you, but he definitely didn't understand the concept of sugar-coating his words. I think it's refreshing." She landed on the ground for once and bowed. "I am Midna, the Twilight Princess. I'd be honored if I could join you in punching that stupid witch in her UGLY face." She glanced at Lana. "Not that you're ugly."

Lana resisted rolling her eyes. Link looked confused, eyes darting between them. "…I feel like I'm missing some vital context here."

"Sorry, Link." Lana shuffled her feet. "I'd like to wait until everyone gets here before I explain. It's not exactly easy for me to talk about, so I'd prefer to only say it once."

Midna nodded. "Just wait, it'll blow your mindAAAAGGGH!"

Midna staggered backwards as Fi flew at a dangerous speed towards her, stopping just in front of the Twili's face. "Greetings. My apologies for being late to our meeting. Are you Commander Lana?"

Wordlessly, Midna pointed a finger at Lana. Fi shifted her attention as Lana took an apprehensive step backwards. "I am glad to meet one of Master's valued allies. I am Fi. Would you like me to inspect your soldier's weapons and armor? I have just finished the inspection for Master's men." She spun elegantly to face Link. "I sorted the acceptable from the unacceptable based on an analysis of durability, craftsmanship, and amount of wear. You will find you need to purchase 75 new blades, 31 new helmets, 14 chest plates, 37 pairs of-"

"How about I just let you handle the shopping, Fi?" Link interrupted hastily.

"Very well." Fi turned her head and frowned. "There seems to be quite a commotion at the castle entrance."

"Are we under attack?!" Proxi darted into Link's scarf.

Midna plucked her back out again, disregarding the little fairy's protests. "Jumpy little thing, aren't you? Relax! Do those sound like screams of terror to you?"

Quite the opposite, actually. The soldiers sounded joyous. As a small group entered the courtyard, it was quickly revealed why.

"The princess!" Proxi squealed. "Princess Zelda is okay, you guys!" She launched herself out of Midna's grip and towards the princess. "We're so glad you're alright, your majesty!"

Zelda smiled, letting Proxi land on her palm. "I am glad to see you again as well." Her eyes flicked to Link's, who met her gaze steadily. "We have much to discuss, don't we?"

Impa strode forward and bowed. "Allow me, Princess. I am Impa, leader of the Sheikah." She gestured to the massive Goron standing behind her. "This is Darunia, a Goron chieftain from another time who has agreed to aid us in the war. He has also generously provided Goron soldiers for our armies."

Darunia laughed heartily. "My brothers are the best of the best. They won't let you down." He paused, frowning as he eyed Link. "I was told about this, but it's still strange to see how much you look like my brother, Link. I sure am glad that boy didn't get caught up in all of this…"

Lana took the pause in Darunia's words as a cue, stepping forward and offering those she didn't know a friendly smile. "Hello, everybody, I'm Lana! I'm looking forward to fighting alongside you all. Well, I'm not looking forward to the fighting, but you know what I mean. This is Midna, the Twilight Princess."

Midna offered a lazy salute and a cheeky grin. When it became clear that she had nothing to say, Link gave Proxi a nod.

"Hi guys! I'm Proxi, and this is Link-"

"-They probably knew that already, right?"

"- And this is Fi, she's a sword spirit. It's really great to meet you newcomers, and we're glad that our old allies are… um… Hey, where's Sheik?"

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Zelda pointed at herself, looking flustered. "I forgot to mention it, didn't I? I was disguised as Sheik the whole time in order to keep our enemies distracted while they hunted for me. I apologize for not bringing it up sooner, and for deceiving all of you."

Link waved away her apology. "It's war. You do what you need to do."

Impa looked a bit annoyed at the fact that even in the presence of _Princess Zelda_, the boy still insisted on speaking so bluntly, but Zelda seemed moved by his sincerity. "Thank you for understanding. Now, for more serious business…" She held up her armored hand. "My Triforce of Wisdom has returned to me."

Lana gasped. "Seriously?! But why would Cia do that?" Zelda held her hand in Link's direction, nodding thoughtfully when his hand began to resonate as well. "And Link's is back too… I don't know why Cia would give up her power like this, but it's definitely an advantage for us!"

Midna drifted to Lana's side, nudging her. "Hey, speaking of Cia, shouldn't you tell them about _that_?"

Lana winced as all eyes shifted to her. She glanced nervously at Link, wondering how he'd react, and hoping that he wouldn't make the connection that if Cia wanted him, she did as well. The last thing she wanted was for him to be uncomfortable around her. "Remember how, when we first met, I said that Cia and I were from the same tribe? It wasn't a total lie, but that's not why I know her and understood her motivations so well. Cia and I used to be the same person. When the darkness corrupted us, Cia, our darkness, remained while I, the light, was cast out."

"So you share the same soul…" Zelda murmured. "Will it do you harm if we kill her?"

Lana winced. She knew that killing Cia was probably their only option, but the idea was still painful to her. "No, I wouldn't be affected by that." She was surprised to see how relieved Zelda looked at that knowledge.

"I see. I can hardly be angry at you for keeping secrets if I've been doing the same thing." Zelda smiled ruefully. Impa grimaced at how quickly Zelda dismissed the revelation.

"I for one do not think that it was acceptable for you to lie to us, Lana." Impa said firmly. Lana stared down at her feet. "Although… I hate to admit it, but if you had said this when we first met, before I had witnessed your dedication to our cause firsthand, I highly doubt I would have been able to trust you as an ally. You're off the hook for now, but no more secret keeping, any of you. Understand?"

Everyone nodded dutifully. Zelda, noting the solemn atmosphere, clapped her hands together and smiled. "I have some good news as well, everyone! I found a mysterious artifact when I closed the Gate of Souls." With the focus on her, she reached into the pouch at her hip and pulled out a lovely, sparkling silver baton.

"Woaah! That's so pretty, Princess!" Proxi trilled, eagerly flying around the object. Fi shot forward, causing Impa's hand to reflexively twitch towards her sword hilt.

"Fascinating. It appears to be imbued with the power of gods. Further analysis is required." She looked at Zelda with an almost eager expression.

"Yeah, show us what it does, Princess!" Darunia chimed in excitedly. Zelda nodded.

"Very well!" She hesitated, blushing slightly. "Um… what should I…?"

Midna rolled her eyes. "It's a baton, isn't it? Like, a conductor's baton? So conduct! Pretend there's a beautiful melody for you to-"

Unbidden, Fi straightened her spine and began to sing. She looked strange doing so, as her face remained as deadpan as ever, but she had a shockingly beautiful voice. Zelda was emboldened by the sword spirit's lack of shyness and held the baton aloft, waving it in time with the melody.

Everyone was so enthralled by the performance that they were caught off guard when Link interrupted suddenly, saying in a loud voice, "I think you guys need to stop."

Impa glared at him. "Unbelievable. Can you not hold that tongue in check for more than a few seconds?"

Link glowered back, pointing at something in the distance. "Not when the princess is accidentally summoning death-tornadoes."

They all turned and gaped. The sky had been a beautiful cloudless blue just moments before, but was now covered in thick black clouds. In the direction Link was pointing, a swirling funnel had started to dip down, but was now receding thanks to the absence of the baton's power.

"O-oh dear." Fumbling, Zelda hastily put away the baton. "I don't think I should fiddle with this anymore."

"That must be the Wind Waker." Lana murmured. "I don't know how on earth that got here. In any case, it seems it hasn't accepted you as its master, Princess. I'd advise against using it in battle."

"Oh! That reminds me!" Proxi bounced eagerly on Link's shoulder. "Link, how could we forget to mention what happened?!"

Link smacked himself on the forehead. "You're right! So, I happened to find an all-powerful sword of evil's bane in the forest this morning. No big deal." He drew the sword as he spoke, holding it horizontally so his comrades could see it properly.

The reaction was instantaneous. Zelda and Lana gasped, eyes wide, Darunia and Midna grinned triumphantly, Impa seemed shocked beyond words, and Fi simply stared.

"That's the Master Sword!" Lana was giddy. "How on earth did you find this?!"

"A strange forest imp guided us." Proxi landed on the hilt of the blade. "Isn't it awesome? Link blasted Wizzro away without even trying!"

Zelda laughed breathlessly. "Of course! It's the legendary sword of evil's bane! An entity like Wizzro stood no chance against it!" She clasped Link on the shoulder. "Link, thanks to you, we can win this war and save this land!"

Lana cut in, not wanting to be left out of the exchange. "Yes! You have the Triforce back, and you have the Master Sword! We should strike at Cia now before she has time to rally defenses!"

Impa nodded firmly, having regained her composure. "I agree. You encountered Wizzro in the forest, so Cia must know by now the advantage we have and will be trying to prepare for battle. We need to attack before she can do that."

"So we are all in agreement?" Zelda surveyed the group, receiving enthusiastic nods in reply. "Very well, we strike at dawn!"

.

.

.

_Now, how to broach the subject…_ Ghirahim mused, striding through the rose infested garden to the witch's room. _It's going to be difficult to make my query seem casual. "Oh, hello Cia, just popping in for a visit. Say, do you think that the Hero of Time could have passed though time and space to foil your plans?" _He shook his head, annoyed with himself. Perhaps the sky child's stupidity was rubbing off on him. What an upsetting thought. The idiot had recovered somewhat thanks to a great deal of sleep and hearty helpings of Twi's strange soup, but he was still not fully healed.

He reached to engraved door and held his fist up to knock, but hearing Wizzro's urgent voice made him pause.

"The boy has the sword of evil's bane!" Wizzro cried, sounding frustrated. "Can't you understand that?! Why do you not seem phased at all?! Don't you understand the position we're in right now?"

"You presume that I, who has watched over the hero's soul for centuries, do not understand the might of the Master Sword?" Cia sneered back. "I understand far more than you do, you worm."

Wizzro sputtered indignantly. "W-worm?!"

"I also understand how my dear little Lana and that repulsive Zelda think. They think this is an opportune moment to attack. A truly clever commander like Volga would already be on our doorstep, but those bleeding hearts will want to give their men an opportunity to rest. They will strike at dawn, and I have the perfect ambush planned for them."

Ghirahim froze. _I see. You cunning witch, you're going to turn their arrogance against them. By handing the Hylians such a powerful weapon, we've accidentally sent them charging to their deaths._

He whirled, stalking away with a grim expression. It no longer mattered whether or not Cia had recognized Link or understood their plot. It seemed that they would be forced to reveal themselves sooner than he had anticipated.

He reached the main courtyard. As he predicted, Zant was lurking there, not having anything better to do with his time or having anywhere else to go. Ghirahim greeted the crazed former king with a strained smile.

"Tell me, Zant my friend, how would you feel about a little mutiny?"

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.

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_AN: I don't usually write author's notes because I feel it interrupts the flow of the story, but I have altered the summary of "Gilded" to better reflect the large cast of characters. I think my new summary is decent and represents the story more accurately, but I would like your opinion on the matter if you have the time. Thank you for reading :)_

_Old summary: _Ghirahim thought he had died that day when his master crossed blades with the sky child. He couldn't be blamed for being surprised when he awoke to find that not only was he not dead, the one who had awoken him looked just like the sky child. This story is based on the theory that Ghirahim is the Gilded Sword and is loosely based on Hyrule Warriors's plot.

_New summary: _When the scheme of an enigmatic witch is discovered, an unusual alliance between several incarnations of Link and the demon lord Ghirahim forms to stop her. In a time of war, unexpected bonds of friendship are created. This story is based on the theory that Ghirahim is the Gilded Sword and is loosely based on Hyrule Warrior's plot.


	18. Chapter 18

"There it is! That's the Temple of Souls." Lana breathed. "I knew she'd take refuge here!"

The air was filled with excitement as the Hylian army, which seemed considerably larger now that it was no longer fragmented and with the added numbers of their new Goron allies, marched toward Cia's stronghold. It was a magnificent structure, possibly even larger than Hyrule Castle itself, but its design was just uncanny enough with its angled rooftops and towering columns to make an observer feel unsafe.

As Zelda began rallying the enthusiastic soldiers, Impa quietly pulled Link aside. "Listen, Link. I know we don't always get along very well, but you do understand I am only watching out for Hyrule's best interests, correct?"

Link nodded and grinned ruefully. "I get it. I'm amazed you've managed to put up with me as well as you have, actually. But what's this all about?"

She placed her hands on his shoulders and stared intently into his eyes. "You need to be cautious in this battle, Link. Even as a trainee you would leap into fights without a second thought for your own safety. But you are no longer a trainee, and this isn't going to be an easy battle. This land cannot afford to lose you. Do not take unnecessary risks. Do not put your life in jeopardy."

"Oh, come on, Impa!" Proxi protested. "What are you getting so nervous for? This is Link we're talking about here! You know, the destined hero? The one with the legendary sword of amazingness? We're unstoppable! The moment Cia sees how strong he is, she'll probably surrender on the spot!"

Impa's eyes narrowed. "That is exactly the kind of thoughts that will get you killed."

Link held his hands up in a placating gesture. "Okay, you guys, not the best time for an argument. Look, Impa, Proxi's right. I don't think Cia's even a threat to me anymore, honestly." Seeing Impa open her mouth in frustration, he hurriedly added, "_But_, if it makes you feel better, I promise to be careful. Okay?"

Impa sighed heavily. There was no more time to argue with the boy, the battle was starting. The Goron soldiers had easily smashed down the gate while they had been speaking, and the soldiers were pouring inside. "See that you do, Link."

Barely waiting for the words to leave her mouth, Link charged in as well. The monsters that tried to stand in his way were easily felled. Proxi cheered as he swept them aside. Link found himself grinning as well. It was uncharacteristic of him; he usually took his battles very seriously. His soldiers could die, after all. But with the Master Sword, he didn't have to worry anymore. He could protect them all now.

"I'm going ahead!" He called to his captain, who nodded. "I'll stay within earshot, so just yell loudly if you need backup!"

As he ran, he scanned the area, noting that the enemy seemed to be trying very hard to keep him from going near the central room in the temple. "They seem pretty adamant about protecting that place." He said to Proxi as he disposed of a few more monsters.

"That must be where Cia's hiding!" Proxi squealed. "Haha, she gave herself away! Come on Link, take her out before she runs away!"

Link raised his sword and sprinted at the monsters, causing them to panic and scatter. Holding up his shield, he was about to use his momentum to smash the door open… just as it swung open on its own accord. Link stumbled and fell in a crumpled heap on the ground, and the door slammed shut behind him as an ominous looking barrier formed over it, magically sealing him in.

"O-oh my gosh! Are you alright?!" Proxi cried. Link only groaned in response.

Laughter filled the room as Cia stepped out of the shadows. She was no longer wearing her mask, and she seemed to be taking great pains to flaunt her curvaceous form as she strode towards Link, which was a waste of time considering he was lying face first on the ground and had made no move to look at her as she approached.

"How adorable, Hero. Are you really so eager to see me?" She cooed. Link raised his head and gave her a grumpy look in response. "Aw, don't be mad! I just wanted to see you alone." She stopped a few feet away from him. "Besides, didn't you have something you wanted to show me? A big new sword, right? Come on, let me see it…"

"Har har, it's funny because you aren't actually talking about my sword." Link stood, drawing the blade. "I just hope you know I take the high road when it comes to that kind of humor. All of my remarks towards you will be tasteful and clever, so maybe you could do me a favor and try the same."

Cia tittered. "You're so funny! I really do love that about you."

Link sighed. "I get the feeling I could be a serial killer and you'd still find that charming in some way. You need help, Cia. If you surrender now-"

Cia cut him off with a harsh voice. "I have no intention of surrendering, my dear. I would ask _you _to surrender, but I've known the hero's soul long enough to know you'd never even consider such a thing. No, I'm going to break you and your army until you have no choice but to be mine!"

"What are you talking about?!" Proxi cried. "Link has the Master Sword! You can't win! Why are you even bothering to threaten us?"

Cia smiled wickedly. "Foolish little thing. I barely have to do anything to crush him. The darkness in his heart is more than enough to do that for me."

She swung her staff with no warning, shooting a bolt of darkness at Link. Since she was standing so close, there was no time for him to dodge or block it. The magic struck him directly in the heart, and he collapsed to the ground, gasping in pain.

"Link!" Proxi wailed. He tried to assure her that he was okay, but he couldn't seem to get enough air in his lungs to speak. As he struggled to stand, he unexpectedly heard a sound coming from behind him. Turning his head, Link flinched when he saw a dark, red eyed doppelganger of himself standing above him, sword drawn.

"Bring him to me once he's learned his lesson. I'll be waiting in my room, there's no reason for me to degrade myself by dealing with the rabble outside." Cia disappeared in a plume of black smoke as Link stumbled to his feet, shakily raising the Master Sword.

"Alright, starting to regret not taking what Impa said more seriously." He tried to joke, but his voice was strained. "Proxi, you should get out of here. There's a little crack over there in the ceiling that you could fit through."

"No way!" Proxi sounded frantic. "I'm the one who kept pushing you to be reckless in the first place! This is all my fault, and I'm not leaving you!"

Link grimaced as he and the dark figure began circling each other, looking for an opening. "Don't try to act tough, Proxi. Besides, I need you to alert the other commanders that I'm stuck in here. Maybe they can break down the doors or something."

Proxi struggled to argue, but she couldn't deny how important warning the other commanders was. "…Alright, fine! But don't you dare get defeated before we can rescue you!" She zipped towards the hole Link pointed out and with a little effort managed to wriggle her way out.

The Dark Link took advantage of Link's distraction as he watched Proxi escape and attacked forcefully. Link gritted his teeth as he blocked the blow. _So I'm fighting myself, huh…_ Sure enough, the doppelganger would land hits before dodging away quickly, never giving an opportunity to strike… exactly how he fought. _Alright then, time to switch things up a bit! _Link went entirely on the offensive, attacking as quickly as he could without letting up. It was exhausting, but finally the Dark Link was unable to keep up and Link slashed through it with the Master Sword. The power of the blessed weapon vaporized it instantly. Link breathed heavily, relieved that the onslaught was over… when four more Dark Links appeared. "Oh. Well, damn it."

.

.

.

"Lanaaaa!" Lana jolted at the desperate wail and saw Proxi flying full speed towards her.

"Proxi?! What's wrong?" She demanded as she swung her enchanted Deku Spear at a group of monsters, launching jets of water at them.

"Link's been trapped inside the central chamber! There's a shadow version of him locked in there with him! Please, we have to do something!" The fairy cried. Lana paled at the news.

"Oh, Goddesses! Quick, find the other commanders and let them know! I'll head on over and try to get him out!" Proxi bobbed in acknowledgement and Lana hurried toward Link's location with her spear tucked behind her back. She barely reached the building when Volga crashed down from the sky, blocking her path, and Wizzro materialized next to him.

"Trying to save the hero, little girl? How sweet!" Wizzro cackled unpleasantly. "You'll have to get through us, first!"

Volga snorted. "Why even bother trying? Even if you, by some miracle, manage to defeat us, the doors are blocked by a barrier. You'll never get through in time."

Lana gritted her teeth. She _didn't _stand much of a chance against the two of them.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps, and Zelda ran to her side. "Lana! Are you alright?! What's going on? Proxi told me Link had been captured by the enemy!"

Lana pointed with a grim expression. "He's in there."

Zelda's eyes widened and she straightened her back, raising her rapier. "Well, then. It looks like we have no choice but to eliminate the ones in our way!"

Wizzro seemed very disappointed that they no longer had the advantage, but Volga roared, "Excellent, a fair fight! We shall see who is the strongest!" With that he viciously attacked the princess. Lana was about to try and assist Zelda, but Wizzro hurled a ball of dark magic at her, forcing them apart.

_This is bad!_ Lana deflected another ball of magic. _Where on earth are the others?!_ A quick glance over her shoulder answered her question. There wasn't just a Dark Link sealed in the central chamber with Link, there were several others now on the battlefield, and they seemed hell-bent on not allowing anyone else reach her and Zelda. The Hylians stood no chance against the doppelgangers who were equal to Link in strength.

"Zant?!" Wizzro's annoyed yell snapped Lana's attention away from the soldiers fighting the Dark Links and back to her own fight. Zant had seemingly appeared from nowhere and was now wobbling in place, making no move to assist his allies. "What are you doing?! Help us kill these pests!" Zant said something very quietly in response, but his words were lost in the sounds of war. Wizzro was getting angrier by the second. "Did you HEAR me, you lunatic?! Get over here and help, NOW!"

Zant straightened abruptly, and in an ear piercing screech, he repeated himself. "I SAID, YOU UGLY THING, THAT I AM THE USURPER KING ZANT!" As he screamed, he began to grow in size until he was a terrifying height. "DID YOU REALLY THINK I WOULD SERVE YOUUU?!" He flung himself at Wizzro in an unstoppable rage, trying to stomp on him like a small child throwing a temper tantrum.

"What's this?!" Volga snarled. "You've turned against us, you mad man? Very well!" He transformed into a dragon. "NOW, BEHOLD TRUE POW-" His words were cut short with a howl of pain as several daggers were flung into his side. He reverted to his human form and tore the daggers from his body. "Where did that come from?!"

As if answering his question, a bridge of diamond patterned magic formed from a nearby rooftop to the top of the central chamber. Ghirahim was quickly darting across, followed by three other figures.

"GHIRAHIM! You traitor, what are you doing?!" Volga roared. Ghirahim stopped, motioning to the figures behind him to go ahead. Once they reached the central chamber, the demon lord snapped his fingers, dispelling the magic and dropping him to the ground.

"I beg your pardon? I couldn't quite catch that." Ghirahim sauntered towards the furious dragon knight. "Oh, I'm sorry, did you think we were allies? Your head must have been swimming." He summoned a longsword and grinned wickedly. "What on earth gave you that idea in the first place?"

.

.

.

"Do you think those two will be alright?" Sky murmured, worry creasing his face. Twi nudged him reassuringly.

"There's no time to worry about that now." Link flashed Sky an impish grin. "These are _dire circumstances _after all."

Sky's eyes widened. "He's going to be angry with you."

Link giggled. "It's his own fault for giving an order with a loophole!" With that, he dug out his Goron mask and put it on his face, enduring the awful sensation of shapeshifting. "Geez, hurts every time. But hey, don't I look cool?!"

Twi barked impatiently, not giving Sky a chance to respond. When they looked his way, he pawed at a small crack below his feet and looked at Link expectantly.

"Perfect!" Link rumbled in his now deep, gravelly voice. Raising his fist into the air, he slammed it down on the crack until, with a final mighty swing, the ceiling around it crumbled into dust. Not wasting any time, Link hopped down into the central chamber, with Sky and Twi following close behind.

"Twi?!" The other Link, who was bleeding badly from a nasty gash on his head, was remarkably still on his feet. "What are you- YOU!" He pointed at Sky. "You were the sick guy that Skull Kid didn't want me talking to!"

"What a remarkable memory…" Sky sighed.

"Not really. It's just not every day you see someone with a blanket on their head."

Sky looked pained. "I beg your pardon, this is a sailcloth, not a _blanket._"

Link laughed loudly, the sound echoing in the empty room. "Fight about it later, guys! We have a battle to win!" He curled into a ball and rolled towards the wall at a tremendous speed, smashing it with the force of his impact. Sky rushed forward and grabbed the wounded hero's arm, helping him out of the central chamber.

"Bah! The boy's escaping!" Volga head-butted Ghirahim, bloodying his lip. Knocking the demon lord aside, Volga rushed at the group of heroes, aiming for Link, who appeared to be the most obvious threat. "You'll regret crossing me, I devour Gorons for breakfast!"

Volga collided with a burst of fire. When the haze cleared, it became apparent that Link had taken his words seriously, because he was now in his Zora form. He grinned merrily at his stunned enemy. "How do you feel about sea food?" Hurling himself at his opponent, Link grabbed hold of Volga's spear and sent a powerful jolt of electricity through the weapon. Volga cried out in pain but didn't let go, instead swinging it at Link and forcing him to leap away to avoid being impaled.

Link whirled and beamed at Ghirahim. "Get it?! Sea food!"

Ghirahim glowered at the self-satisfied Zora as he tried to stop the flow of blood from his split lip. "You, little one, are an insubordinate rascal."

Link huffed, crossing his arms awkwardly due to the fins protruding from his elbows. "Am not! You said I could transform under dire circumstances! Besides, look at how neat this body is! I _electrocuted _that guy!"

Before Ghirahim could reprimand him, Zelda leapt into the fray. With a deft swing of her rapier, she sliced into Volga's shins, making him howl in pain. Before the princess could finish him with a blow to his exposed neck, he transformed into a dragon and retreated hastily. Wizzro, who had been exchanging spells with Lana while dodging Zant's whirling scimitars, upon noticing he was alone, panicked. "GAH! Of course, I, the only competent member of this army, would be the last one standing! You all hope to gang up on me now, is that it?! Making sure you take out the biggest threat, are you?! WELL, NOT TODAY, YOU SCUM!" Noticing Lana winding up for another attack, he frantically teleported away.

"Link!" Zelda rushed to her wounded companion's side, Lana close behind her. Both women crowded around him, faces filled with concern. "Please tell me you're alright!"

"I could, but it'd be a lie. I'm pretty sure I'm seeing things, because there's no way _that _guy is on our side." He pointed at Ghirahim with a scowl. "Yeah, I'm talking about you, hallucination!"

Ghirahim, resisting the urge to smirk so his lip wouldn't continue bleeding, placed a hand over his heart. "You wound me, fairy boy. I was a double agent all along. Perhaps you didn't notice, but I didn't kill a single one of your men. Surely that's enough to gain your trust?"

"What about him?!" Lana cried, waving a hand at Zant, who had removed his helmet and was staring off into the distance with a satisfied expression. He didn't seem to be paying their conversation any mind.

Ghirahim shrugged. "Zant may be… eccentric, but I assure you, he is not your enemy. He was reluctant about obeying the witch from the start."

Zelda seemed to be deep in thought before looking up with a determined expression in her eyes. "Perhaps you mean what you say, and you have been aiding us from the shadows unbeknownst to us. However…" She fixed her steely gaze on the three heroes in disguise. "Don't think I haven't noticed how quiet you've been all this time. Explain yourselves. Why should I trust you? Especially you, Sky." He fidgeted under her stare. "You just disappeared after our battle. We searched high and low for you. What reason could you possibly give me for that? How can you expect me to put my faith in you again?"

Twi made a frustrated growl deep in the back of his throat and glared pointedly at Ghirhim. The demon lord sighed. "Oh, very well. We've lost the element of surprise anyways, I suppose there's no harm in revealing yourselves now."

"Thank goodness for that." Sky pulled the sailcloth from his face, neatly folding it. "I missed having peripheral vision." Link took his mask off, reverting to his child form with a wince. Twi transformed, looking irritable.

"For your information," he growled at Zelda without even waiting for an introduction, "Sky almost died of pneumonia, so maybe cut him some slack."

Sky frowned. "It was only the flu, actually. Also, I was far from dying."

"It could have gotten worse."

"Naturally, but it didn't, that's the-"

Lana, not listening to the argument, seemed to be in a state of shock as her gaze shifted between the four heroes standing before her. The Link of her world, bloody and bewildered looking as he tried to comprehend what was happening in front of him, the two who called themselves Twi and Sky, and…

"Mido?"

Link averted his eyes, holding his Zora' mask so it shielded the lower half of his face. "I'm sorry, Lana. I shouldn't have lied to you."

Twi rolled his eyes. "Yes, you should have, because we were undercover. We didn't know who to trust, and now we do. We don't have to apologize for being cautious." Sky elbowed him in the ribs. "Ow!"

Lana let out a nervous laugh. "Well, I actually sort of guessed that you were an incarnation of the hero. It didn't really make sense, but then, neither did anything else. I mean, your disguise wasn't really that great, you know?" Link pouted and glared at Ghirahim, who was mouthing the words _told you so!_ "Speaking of that, I held onto your mask for you, just in case we ran into each other again." She held out the Keaton mask, looking embarrassed.

Link's face lit up. "My mask! Thank you so much!" He took it from her happily. "This was my friend's mask, I thought I'd have to tell him I went and lost it!"

"Good for you, Link!" Sky laughed.

"Woah. Hold up." The other Link placed his hands on his hips. "Your name is Link, too?"

Link nodded. "Yep! Twi and Sky are also named Link."

"Why?! I get the reincarnation thing, but how is it possible our parents all decided to name us the same thing?!"

Link shrugged. "I don't know. My parents died when I was a baby, so I can't really ask them."

Twi glanced apprehensively behind them. "Did you guys forget we're in a battle right now?"

Zelda gripped her rapier tighter. "Indeed, we need to-"

"Wait, wait, wait, this is important! We can't both be called the same thing!" The other Link protested. Ghirahim rolled his eyes.

"Call him little one, then. It's what I do."

"Little…" He whirled and pointed triumphantly. "Got it! From now on, you are Young Link!"

He was met with dumbfounded looks, which were somehow amplified by the sounds of war in the distance.

Ghirahim covered his face with both hands. "_HOW, _fairy boy?! How are you WORSE at picking nicknames than the little one is?!"

"I think I like it, actually." Young Link said thoughtfully. "It sounds right, somehow."

Twi groaned. "You _would _like a name like that."

"Link?!" Proxi had finally made it through the fray. "Link are you… w-what the heck is happening?! Why am I seeing quadruple?!"

"Hey, Proxi. Meet the other "me"s, Young Link, Sky, and Twi. Turns out the wolf we made our mascot was actually a "me". So, by association, I'm our army's commander AND mascot."

"You… I… _What?!_"

"Enough!" Zelda shouted, drawing everyone's attention. "Link, are you able to carry on fighting?"

Link nodded. "I know I look like hell right now, but I'm okay."

"Good. Ghriahim and Za- erm, where did Zant go?"

Ghirahim glanced around. "No idea. Perhaps he got bored and wandered off."

"I-I see. Well, then, Ghirahim. Do you pledge your loyalty to the Hylian army?"

"No." Zelda's eyes widened, but he continued speaking. "I refuse to pledge loyalty to anyone but my master, the one who carries the blade I reside in, which happens to be the little one." He grinned slyly. "But, I can assure you, if he is on your side, I am as well."

"How does that work?" Twi muttered under his breath to Sky and Young Link. "He's in charge of us, but Link- I mean, Young Link in charge of him?"

"Perhaps that's why you should have thought twice before deciding without us that he was the leader." Sky sniffed.

Zelda interrupted the hushed conversation. "What do you say, heroes? Will you join us in saving this land?"

"Of course!"

"Obviously."

"We'd be honored, your highness."


	19. Chapter 19

Although the scene before her eyes was indeed heartwarming, Princess Zelda couldn't help but feel that her army commanders had long since forgotten their actual purpose for storming the Temple of Souls in the first place. "I know you're all happy to see each other, but this must wait until…" Her voice trailed off as it became clear that nobody was paying attention. Young Link was attempting to soothe Darunia, who had become so overwhelmed upon seeing the boy again that he had nearly crushed him to death in a hug. Twi and Midna, after staring at each other with stunned expressions for a few seconds, were now embracing, and Fi was dancing around Sky while looking happier than anyone had ever seen her before. Lana, Link, and Proxi had taken it upon themselves to grill Ghirahim for information, excitedly speaking over each other in increasing volume.

"EVERYONE, QUIET!" Impa snarled. Apparently she had been the only one who had heard Zelda. "I don't care what worlds you're from, you _will_ listen when the princess speaks!" Startled, everyone heeded her words, although Midna made a face and Young Link looked sulky. Ghirahim appeared relieved that the questions had been put on hold.

"I am very happy for all of you, and I understand what a joyous occasion this must be." Zelda folded her hands behind her back and adopted a stern expression. "But the festivities must wait. Cia is still here, and her commanders have already fled. We have an opportunity before us to end this war, and we must take it now." This was met with nods and murmurs of agreement.

"But where's she hiding, anyways?" Midna asked, resting her elbows on Twi's shoulders. "Agitha isn't here, so there's no Goddess Butterfly to show us the way."

Link looked thoughtful. "I think she said she'd be waiting in her room."

"Is that so? How convenient." Ghirahim pointed after tossing Twi a summoned longsword. "The witch's room is in that direction."

"Then that's where we go." Zelda drew her rapier and held it aloft. "For Hyrule!"

Cia's army quelled against the massive Hyrule force, unified and charging towards them. Many fled, and the ones that did not were quickly swept aside. When they reached Cia's quarters she was already standing outside. She wore an expression of almost maniacal delight, and she held her arms out to the heroes as if to embrace them.

"So my assumptions were correct!" She cried. "A stranger wearing green who battled Wizzro, a blue eyed wolf who stood against Volga, and the little boy who showed no fear, even when facing me… You simply had to be incarnations of the hero! There was no other explanation! But how?" She seemed genuinely curious. "None of you had the ability to travel through time and space so freely… and you…" Her gaze tightened as it feel upon Young Link. "…You disappeared."

Young Link frowned in confusion. "I did? I feel fine."

Lana placed her hand on his shoulder. "She's telling the truth. After your journey, we lost sight of you and never found you again." She looked pained as she said this, as if the memory of the event still hurt her.

"Oh! Maybe…" He turned to Ghirahim. "Do you think it was me going to Termina?"

Ghirahim shrugged. "Perhaps. Or maybe it was when you abandoned your fragment of the Triforce. That is what the witch was created to oversee. Once you no longer possessed it, you became invisible to her. That's why she didn't know you learned how to travel to different worlds."

At the sound of Ghirahim's voice, Cia's face darkened. "Unbelievable. You've changed allegiances now that we're outnumbered?"

Ghirahim wore a smug look. "Not at all. This was planned from the start. I served the little one all along. You may have seen through their facade, but you never caught on to me. I don't blame you, though. I'm a _marvelous _actor."

"He's also quite humble." Sky said under his breath, making Twi snort with laughter and earning a glower from Ghirahim.

"Great, now that that's all out of the way," Link sighed, "Will you just surrender already, Cia? You really, _really _have no chance of winning this. I mean, look!" He gestured at the army. "Look at how many different variations of badass we have on our side! This guy turns into a wolf! This kid uses a sword that probably weighs more than he does! And _this _guy wasn't even embarrassed about walking around with a blanket on his head!"

"You remind me of Groose so much it's unnerving. Are you certain you aren't his descendant instead of mine?"

"Come on Cia, just give this all up. World domination is overrated, and anyways…" Link's face was uncharacteristically serious. "If you think winning this war will make me or any of the other "me"s love you, you're dead wrong."

Cia's face twisted in fury. "Then WHAT WILL?! What must I do to make you give me your heart?!"

"Oh, come on!" Twi snarled. "That's not how love works!"

"Cia, you have to stop. They don't feel the same way, and there's nothing you can do about it!" Lana cried.

"SILENCE! Unlike you, Lana, I have no intention of giving up!" Cia raised her staff, and everyone braced themselves for an attack, but it never came. Instead, the earth rumbled mightily underneath their feet. Lana, Young Link, and Sky staggered and fell, and the others barely managed to keep their balance. Proxi darted above the crowd, frantically looking for the source of the quake. "What was that?! Did Cia do that?"

Cia was drained of all color. "That power…" She whispered. "He's come for me! He's come for the Triforce!" Quivering with rage, she held up her arms. "I will never give it up to you, you _swine!_"

Several more Dark Links appeared. The Hylian army raised their weapons to defend themselves, but the shadows appeared to have no interest in fighting them, leaping over and dodging around them and heading for the temple entrance. "Cia, please!" Lana wailed. "The magic you're using is too strong now that you've used up the darkness in Link's heart! If you try to keep this up any longer-"

"Shut UP!" Cia screeched. "I hope that pig tears your army into pieces! He isn't taking my Triforce away!" She hastily teleported away.

"She ran away _again!_" Young Link groaned.

"I think we have more pressing matters to deal with." Zelda said worriedly. "Who could have frightened Cia badly enough to cause her to flee when she didn't even blink at the sight of our army?"

"Oh." Twi smacked his head in realization. "She said pig, right? And he's after the Triforce? Must be Ganondorf."

"What?!" Zelda gasped, looking horrified. "The Demon King? Y-you must be mistaken, he was sealed away-"

"Unfortunately, that's no longer the case." Sky shrugged.

"Yeah, we unsealed him, sorry. Well, he did, to be more specific." Young Link pointed at Link, who scowled.

"I didn't unseal anything, kid! I think I'd have noticed if I accidentally set a king of darkness free. Unless he was really underwhelming looking, then I guess he might have slipped my attention. Also, why are you guys so calm about this? This sounds like a pretty serious problem!"

"What do you expect? We've all killed him before." Twi crossed his arms. Link wrinkled his nose in annoyance.

"Ooh, well aren't you all big-shots. _Fine, _if it's so easy then I guess I'll go take my turn!"

"Wait." Fi spoke up suddenly, catching everyone off guard. "I sense a terrible evil approaching."

Ghirahim sighed loudly. "Yes, dear, nobody said he wasn't evil. Why do you feel the need to constantly interrupt people by telling them things they already know?"

Fi shot forward, staring into Ghirahim's eyes with unusual intensity. "Do not make light of this. I calculate that the evil that is approaching is beyond all of us in strength." She turned to the heroes. "Even you, Masters."

There was a moment of tense silence before Midna broke it by laughing nervously. "Are you sure you didn't miscalculate or something? This guy doesn't even have a piece of the Triforce! How bad can he be?"

"An interesting question." Everyone flinched and looked around for the voice, finally realizing it came from above. Ganondorf slowly descended to the ground, still towering above them all even when he was no longer in the air.

"Wow!" Young Link gasped. "You look way cooler than the Ganondorf I knew!"

Ganondorf's lips twisted into a smile. "You are the Hero of Time, correct? I accept the compliment."

"Little one, stop being friendly to the enemy." Ghirahim scolded. "You're supposed to insult him, not flatter him."

"Well, it's kind of true. Right?" Twi glanced at Midna, who nodded.

"Yeah, the Ganondorf we knew wore weird hair curlers." She snorted. "Not very scary."

Impa did _not _look pleased with the tone of voice they were taking with the Demon King. Zelda, Fi, and Darunia also seemed very tense, gripping their weapons tightly. Lana nervously glanced around, wondering how to handle the situation. Ganondorf was a threat, certainly, but was he a bigger threat than Cia?

"And what about you? You are the Hero of the Sky, correct? The very first in your lineage." Ganondorf spread his arms. "Tell me, how do I measure up to my god ancestor Demise?"

Sky frowned. "…Judging from appearance alone, you seem almost the same, albeit a bit more human looking. The long hair is especially reminiscent of Demise. But why do you ask? Why are you here at all? Did you not have business with the witch? She isn't here anymore, I'm sorry to say."

"The witch isn't going anywhere, she can wait." Ganondorf's expression turned sinister. "After all, why would I waste time chasing after her and her one fragment of Triforce when you already carry a complete piece?"

"T-they aren't scared of you!" Proxi cried, hiding behind Link. "You know them, so you know they've killed other incarnations of you before! So why don't you just go away, you big bully?!"

Ganondorf's evil grin widened. "That is true. Unfortunately, you'll find that I am on a different level from my counterparts. In order to prevent me from being reborn, my soul was split into four pieces and scattered across time and space. For centuries, I existed in such a state… but all the while, I fed off of the darkness in the hearts of everyone who came into the vicinity of my fragmented soul… including you and your counterpart, White Witch. And, when I became as strong as I possibly could, and when your minds were at their limit, I split you from the Black Witch and convinced her to summon the lands which held the pieces of my soul… and to free me at last."

Lana looked horrified. "So everything that's happened has been because of you?!"

"That's correct. Now, even without the Triforce, I am the strongest being in this world. I am even stronger than Demise. And with the Triforce, I will surpass even the Golden Goddesses themselves!"

"_What _did you just say?" Ghirahim was trembling with rage. Sky flinched at the venom in his voice. He hadn't seen the sword spirit so engulfed with anger since he had crushed Demise with the statue of Hylia. "Did you just insinuate that you are stronger than my beloved master Demise?! You WORTHLESS, ARROGANT, BRUTE!" His body was darkening until it was the color of ebony. His hair shortened, and his eyes became white slits narrowed in fury.

"Ghirahim?" Young Link breathed disbelievingly. "What's happening to you?"

"It's his true form." Sky pulled the others back. "This is going to get very ugly."

Ghirahim lunged at Ganondorf, attacking with startling ferocity. Ganondorf seemed taken aback by the sword spirit's onslaught, but the surprise wasn't enough. Ganondorf easily blocked Ghirahim's attacks before landing a blow to Ghirahim's stomach with the flat of his blade, sending him crashing into the ground.

Link, Twi, and Sky dove into the fray while Young Link ran to Ghirahim's side. "Ghirahim! Are you okay?"

Ghirahim seemed to be in a state of shock. "He wasn't lying." He said blankly. "He's stronger than Demise. How is this possible? How could I have failed him yet again?"

Midna cried out in fury as Ganondorf grabbed Twi by the throat. Sky struck his arm with a Skyward Strike, freeing Twi, who gasped for air. Ganondorf glowered at Sky and launched a bolt of dark magic at him. Sky reflexively tried to counter the blast with his weapon, but the Ordon blade was no Master Sword, and it shattered upon impact. Sky collapsed, grasping his arm which had gone numb from the power of the blow, and Fi rushed to his side, pulling him away from the fight. Ganondorf turned his attention to Link, who looked wobbly on his feet. He had lost a great deal of blood during his fight with the Dark Links, and battling Ganondorf had caused his wounds to reopen. Ganondorf smirked. "Just surrender already. You have no chance against me."

Link gritted his teeth and mentally scrambled for one of his smarmy comebacks, but Young Link interrupted his thoughts with a resigned sigh.

"Jeez…" He looked upset as he dug into his bag that he stored his masks in. "I honestly didn't want to have to use this ever again. But you're a really tough guy aren't you? So, I guess there's no choice." He withdrew a mask that he held to his chest. "Are you sure we can't just call this a draw, Ganondorf? I mean, you're after Cia too, right? Isn't there a saying like "the enemy of my enemy is my friend"?"

Ganondorf rose an eyebrow. "With that logic, Hero of Time, you could also partner up with the witch to defeat me. Now, why would I want such a fickle "friend" when I can crush you all and get what I want?"

Young Link cringed. "I figured you'd say that." He glanced at Lana. "You're good with magic, right? If I lose control, do what you have to do!"

"What does that mean?!" Lana cried. Ghirahim sat up straight despite his injuries, suddenly looking worried. Young Link didn't answer and put the mask on. His body twisted, and he let out an unsettling howl of rage as he began to transform.

As he stared, Ghirahim suddenly remembered something the little one had said before; _The Triforce isn't the only thing that can make you strong. _Had this been what he meant? The boy now stood at a towering height rivaling Ganondorf's stature. His body was clad in gleaming white armor, and his hair had turned white as well. Most startling about his appearance, however, was his face. It was an expression of cold, barely controlled rage, so different from Young Link's usual lighthearted grin. Lana covered her mouth with her hands, and Darunia mouthed the word _brother _silently.

"Woah, he actually had to use _that _again? What a surprise!" Zelda muffled a yelp as she noticed a strange creature standing right next to her.

"You! Skull Kid! What the heck is happening?!" Twi cried. "What is that?"

Skull Kid rocked back and forth. "Did he ever tell you how his masks work?"

"How on earth is that relevant?!" Sky groaned while holding his arm, which he still couldn't move.

"Oh, it matters alright." Skull Kid spoke without taking his eyes off the fight. "Those transformation masks are imbued with the power of a living soul."

"A soul?" Proxi quivered. "Y-you mean a dead person?"

"Yep, dead as a doornail. And that particular mask happens to house a very nasty, powerful soul. A deity's soul, in fact. The deity was born from all of the combined anger and hatred every resident of Termina had ever felt. It goes by a lot of names, but the most common one is The Fierce Deity."

"It's incredibly strong…" Ghirahim murmured. "And yet, the little one had never used it or mentioned it once in our travels." He turned to Skull Kid. "There's a catch, isn't there?"

"You're sharp." Skull Kid rocked back on his heels to look Ghirahim in the eye. "Every second he uses that mask, he's battling against the will of the Fierce Deity. As long as he's in control, everything should be fine, but if he loses, then the Fierce Deity gets a shiny new body to run around and wreak havoc in."

Lana gripped her Deku Spear tightly. "Oh Goddesses…"

"Calm down." Ghirahim reprimanded. "The little one is a stubborn brat. It'd take more than a petty god to overtake his will." Even as he said this, Ghirahim felt anxiousness cloud his heart.

"So this battle needs to end as quickly as possible, is what you're saying? Well, that's all I needed to hear." Link took a deep breath. "Sorry guys, I'm about to do something really stupid. Don't get too mad if I die, okay?"

"Link, NO!" Zelda gasped and reached futilely for him as he took off at a sprint. Ducking behind Ganondorf, who was too embroiled in combat with the Fierce Deity to notice him, Link swung the Master Sword hard at the Demon King's exposed back.

Ganondorf roared in pain as the weapon of light tore through his armor and into his flesh. "_Damn _you!" He snarled. "You'd raise that abominable blade against me?! You'll PAY for this! All of Hyrule will pay!" Link swung the blade again, but Ganondorf teleported away before the Master Sword could do any more damage.

Link unexpectedly found himself staring up into the glaring white eyes of the Fierce Deity. "…Um, the battle's over, Young Me! You can take of that… mask now…" He received no response. "Hey, can you hear me-"

A sudden surge of dark energy knocked Link off his feet, and the mask fell off with a soft clunk onto the ground. Young Link wobbled, looking haggard. "Phew, that didn't go too badly. AAGH!" Young Link let out a startled yelp as Darunia, Lana, Link, Twi, and Sky all lunged to hug him simultaneously. Many bumped heads and muffled swears ensued. Skull Kid cackled at the sight.

"As you can see, little one, you worried everyone with your stunt. Please don't resort to using that mask again." Ghirahim said, inhaling deeply.

"If he hadn't we would all likely be dead right now." Zelda murmured quietly. "Link would not have been able to land that attack without the Fierce Deity there to distract Ganondorf." She raised her voice. "We all clearly need rest, but as soon as our wounds are healed we must pursue Cia. We barely managed to fend off Ganondorf as he is now. If he obtains even one piece of the Triforce, we won't be able to stand a chance against him, and I am certain that she is the one who he intends to take it from."

"You heard her, best friend! Rest up!" Skull Kid patted Young Link on the head, and he smiled blearily in response. "I need to go back to Termina now. I came here to pick someone up, but I noticed the fighting and hurried back as quick as I could to cheer you on!"

Ghirahim frowned. "Pick someone up?" By any chance do you mean Zant?"

Twi smacked his head. "Is that where he's been?! Instead of helping he ran off to another world?"

Skull Kid cackled. "Oh relax. He'll come back to help when he feels ready, I'm sure of it! Well, maybe. Actually, I have no idea, he's really unpredictable."

Zelda rubbed her temples. She felt a migraine coming on. Impa placed her hands on the princess's shoulders. "Come on, everyone." She said, sounding gentle for once. "You all did good work today. Let's rest while we still can."


	20. Chapter 20

"They're late…" Impa muttered, arms folded. Zelda shrugged, hands in her lap as her gaze shifted from one commander to the next, silently fretting about the fact that, despite the impressive range of skills that each one of them possessed, they had barely survived the last battle. Instead of the war being nearly over like she had thought, with the appearance of Ganondorf, conflict would only escalate. Her hands tightened, but she didn't allow her face to show her inner turmoil.

"I'm not surprised." She replied to Impa quietly as she continued to watch the commanders meander about, conversing with each other with grim expressions. "We all had a hard time in the last battle, but the heroes took the worst of the damage, Link in particular. I wouldn't be surprised if they chose not to show up at all."

Impa's lips tightened. "Princess, you can't simply excuse this. I know they're injured, but this is a serious meeting, and the primary reason we arranged it was to talk to them! We need to plan our next move, and they are integral parts of those plans!"

Zelda didn't have time to respond, distracted by everyone shifting their attention to the entrance of the meeting room. Ghirahim had just strode in, gently pushing a rather exhausted looking Young Link in front of him. "My apologies for our tardiness, Your Highness." He called to her, not actually looking contrite in the slightest. "It's a very difficult task getting this little one out of bed in the morning." Young Link made a sour face. Zelda suppressed the undignified urge to laugh at the grumpy child's expression.

"It's quite alright. I appreciate that both of you decided to attend this meeting." She met Young Link's eyes and smiled at him, causing him to reflexively smile back. "Do you know if the other heroes will be showing up?"

Young Link nodded. "We say Sky and Twi on our way over. They should be here pretty soon. They aren't feeling great, but this seemed important. I'm not sure if Link is coming or not."

"I wish I wasn't." Link groaned from the entrance. He was walking stiffly, and some of the wounds from his fight with the Dark Links had reopened. Proxi was circling him nervously as if she was hoping to catch him if he toppled over, which probably wouldn't work out very well for her, considering her size.

Zelda's brow furrowed in worry, but before she could say anything Lana had rushed forward, reaching out a hand to stabilize the hero. "Link, you look like you're in a lot of pain! You didn't have to put yourself through this, none of us would have been angry at you for resting!"

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Link waved hand, looking anything but fine. "Anyways, can we just- Oh, hey, there you two are."

Twi and Sky had quietly slipped in, clearly hoping that their lateness would go unnoticed. Both of them sent exasperated looks in Link's direction for causing the focus of attention to shift to them. While they didn't appear as damaged as Link, Sky's right arm was in a sling and Twi had some very nasty bruises lining his throat. Fi and Midna moved to stand by their respective companions, glancing over their wounds to make certain they weren't too serious.

Zelda stood, satisfied that everyone was now present. "Thank you all for coming. We have some important things to discuss regarding our next battle. Don't worry, this shouldn't take too long, but as you are our army's commanders, Impa and I wanted your thoughts on what we've decided."

Impa stepped forward and crossed her arms. "First and foremost, we need to take care of Cia. Now that Ganondorf has been revived, we no longer can afford to dedicate our resources to fighting her off. We left her army in shambles, and we currently have the upper hand. As soon as the heroes have recovered from our last battle, we move for the Valley of Seers and we cut her down."

Lana nervously raised her hand like a schoolgirl in class trying to catch a teacher's attention. "Um, excuse me, but when you say cut down, do you mean…"

Impa raised her eyebrows. "I mean kill her. I thought that was clear."

Lana looked nauseous. "But we know it's not her fault now! Everything that happened was because of Ganondorf, so shouldn't we be focusing on him instead?!"

Zelda wore a look of pity, but her voice was firm. "Lana, you and Cia are two halves split from the same entity, correct?"

"Y-yes."

"Are you capable of making decisions on your own? Do you have free will?"

"Of course I-"

"Then it would be safe to say that Cia has free will as well." Zelda softened her voice. "I know this hurts to hear, but Cia made a choice, and that choice was to take what she desired by force, regardless of the consequences. Ganondorf may have orchestrated all of this, but Cia has decided her own fate."

Lana bit her lip and blinked rapidly, clearly trying not to cry. Everyone averted their eyes from her, not wanting to embarrass her further by staring. Impa cleared her throat and directed her attention to the heroes. "We can't do anything until the four of you have fully recovered. You will need to keep me updated on your health so that we can set out as soon as possible." They nodded. "The rest of you should spend this time training and making sure you and the soldiers under you are fully equipped for battle. We can arrange for couriers to travel to your respective lands to gather more soldiers if you think your men are too injured to fight. Darunia, are there any more Goron soldiers in Death Mountain?"

The Goron chieftain rubbed his chin. "Yes, but they are either elderly or inexperienced. I wouldn't recommend trying to bring them into a battle. But Princess Ruto is a force to be reckoned with, I say we should call for her." Young Link ducked his head, hiding his uncomfortable expression.

Impa nodded. "A good idea, she was quite useful in battle. I would also like you, Young Link, to try to contact Zant when you can, perhaps he-"

"I strongly object to that idea." Midna interrupted. "Zant is crazy, you can't trust him! At least this one-" She pointed at Ghirahim with her hair, "-is capable of reason. I say we leave Zant where he is. Oh wait, unless…" She peered at Young Link. "You don't think he'll cause trouble in… wherever he is, do you?"

Young Link waved a hand dismissively in the air as he yawned. "It's called Termina. Skull Kid can just come and get me if he does, so I don't think he'll be a problem."

"Cover your mouth when you yawn, little one." Ghirahim chastised. "So, are we fetching Zant or not?"

Zelda looked thoughtful. "We should utilize Zant as backup. We'll summon him if the situation turns particularly sour, but in the meantime we'll leave him in Termina. Is this acceptable to everyone?"

Everyone murmured acknowledgements and nodded. Midna didn't look thrilled, but she shrugged and nodded as well. "Fine. I say we call for Agitha too. She's probably trained Armogohma into her personal killing machine by now. Spiders are gross, but it would be nice to have something that big on our side."

"I agree," Impa said, "But remember that by calling everyone to our side, the summoned parts of your worlds will be unguarded. It shouldn't be a problem, as neither Ganondorf nor Cia will have any motive to try to claim them, but it's just another reason we need to take them both down with haste."

Zelda clasped her hands together after a brief pause. "I believe that is all we needed to discuss. Does anyone have anything to add?" When nobody made a move to speak, she smiled. "Very well, you are all dismissed." As the commanders began to move about, Zelda scanned the small crowd for Lana, hoping to smooth things over with the White Witch, but she had already slipped out of the room.

"Well, I'm going back to sleep." Young Link sighed. He peeked at Link. "You should rest too, you look super awful."

Link grimaced. "You think I haven't noticed? The problem is, every time I try to lie down in bed, one of my wounds reopens. There's no way for me to get comfortable enough to sleep!"

"If you would actually drink your potions, maybe you'd feel better!" Proxi huffed irritably. "Of all the times to act like a picky eater, you choose now?"

He made a face. "I do drink them! Most of them. Come on, Proxi, do you know what they even put in that stuff?"

"Don't be a baby." Twi rolled his eyes.

"I agree, potions are yucky. I just drink milk." Young Link said cheerfully.

"Well, that's good to hear, but milk won't replace rest." Sky grinned. "I think we should all go back to bed. Do the best you can, Link."

Link rolled his eyes. "Yeah, alright."

.

.

.

Young Link sleepily stirred and rolled over to his side. Sun was still coming in through the window, but it was faint. He must have slept until dusk.

_Was it this bad the first time I used the Fierce Deity mask? _He wondered, rubbing his eyes. He had remembered being tired, but he had still had enough energy to attend Kafei and Anju's wedding. Was the mask getting stronger, or had he just overestimated his ability to use it?

He sighed and sat up, looking around blearily. Ghirahim was nowhere to be found. Young Link wasn't surprised. Anyone would have gotten bored in the amount of time he had been asleep, even a sword spirit. He rubbed his eyes again, finding himself missing his sturdy older body from his adventures in his own world. If he still had that form, maybe he wouldn't have had to resort to the Fierce Deity mask in the first place.

He jumped, startled, when someone passed by in front of his window, briefly making the room dark. He shook his head. _Get it together, self._ Out of idle curiosity, he peered outside and was surprised to see Lana with a tense expression, gripping her Book of Sorcery tightly as she walked with a brisk pace. He froze. _No way. She isn't turning traitor or something, is she? Is it because of that argument with Zelda? _Not sure what else to do, he hopped out of bed, pulled on his boots and hat, grabbed the Gilded Sword, and ran out of his room after her.

_Too bad she has magic. _He thought as he trailed her. _It would be easy to follow her with the Stone Mask if she didn't._ The guards didn't even think to stop either of them, only politely saluting. Young Link struggled to keep his face neutral as he passed by, imagining the snide remarks Ghirahim would be making about his poor acting if was here. As Lana made her way into a nearby wooded area, he was careful to dart behind the trees so she wouldn't see him, but unfortunately he wasn't paying enough attention to the undergrowth, and a twig underneath his foot made a loud snapping sound.

"Who's there?!" Young Link froze. Lana had whirled around. "I can _hear _you! Come out now!"

Young Link bit his lip. _Well, let's see how this goes…_ He slipped out from his hiding spot with a contrite expression. Lana looked shocked. "Young Link?! What are you doing out here? You're supposed to be resting!" Her expression darkened. "Or wait… Did Zelda send you after me?"

He shook his head. "Nope. I saw you passing by after I woke up. You had your tome, so I thought something had to be wrong." He cocked his head to the side. "Is it because you're mad at the princess?"

Lana flinched. "No, no, I'm… I'm just…" She took a deep breath, and her words tumbled out in a rush, as if she was relieved she finally had a chance to say them. "It's just not fair. Yeah, Cia has free will, but she was the darkest aspects of our heart. I mean, who wouldn't make bad decisions like she has, given the circumstances? She was literally born out of evil! I just wish Zelda could understand it's not our… I mean, it's not her fault…" She was staring down at her feet with watery eyes.

"…I get it." Lana looked up, shocked. Young Link continued. "I don't think anyone would want to see what it's like to have their darkness personified. Mine would probably make some really bad decisions too. Maybe now that we know what happened with Ganondorf, we can make the two of you whole again or something."

Lana's face lit up like the sun. "You understand! Killing her shouldn't be our only option!"

"Right, so let's go back and talk to Zelda, and-"

"_NO!" _Lana's hand shot forward, grabbing Young Link's arm. "No, wait! She won't listen! If we go and talk to her, we might lose our chance! Please Link- I mean, Young Link! The magic Cia is using is devouring her mind! If we wait any longer, by the time we next see her… she might be…"

Young Link bit his lip. "…All you need to do is become one with her again, right?" She nodded. "…Okay, then let's go."

"…So you're coming with me? But you need rest…"

The hero made a face. "I've been sleeping _all day. _I'm bored of sleeping. Besides, it's not like we're going to fight her, right? We just need to talk. I can handle that."

Lana's brow furrowed. "I suppose you're right… Not to mention, considering the way she is, Cia will probably listen to you more than me. Okay, let's go."

Concentrating, she cast a teleportation spell, and with a bright flash of light, the two appeared in the Valley of Seers. It was immediately apparent that something was horribly wrong. The smell of smoke was in the air, and the sounds of battle were nearly deafening.

"Oh no!" Lana gasped. "No way, is Ganondorf attacking Cia already?!"

"What do we do?" Young Link cried. "There's not enough time to go back and prepare the soldiers!"

"…We'll have to fight." She clasped her Book of Sorcery to her chest. "Stay behind me and don't overexert yourself, okay? We need to find Cia!"

They took off running, dodging around groups of monsters too engaged in combat to notice the out of place pair. "What do we do if Ganondorf is here?" Young Link called. "I don't think I can handle the Fierce Deity again so soon!"

"We might be okay. He might still be injured from Link hitting him with the Master Sword!" Lana replied over her shoulder, trying to convince herself that her own words were true.

"Look out!" Young Link yelped, tackling Lana from behind. A Manhandla seed exploded dangerously nearby, sending them both flying. They staggered to their feet, clutching their ringing ears.

"Gyahaha! What's this?!" Wizzro appeared before them, smiling grotesquely. "Have the Hylians sent out a scouting party?! You came just in time for the fun!"

Lana held up her hands. "Wait, wait! We're just here to talk to Cia! We aren't here to fight, so we aren't your enemies right now, Wizzro!"

Wizzro cackled. "Reeaaally? How nice. Too bad that I'm not on that weak witch's side anymore!"

Lana's jaw dropped. "You work for Ganondorf?!"

"I do now! The Demon King has such extraordinary power, why on earth would I subject myself to a mad witch who just wants to bed the hero?" He leered at Young Link, who scowled back. "Who knows, she might even be depraved enough to-"

"That's _enough_!" Lana launched a magic cube at the dark wizard. "She might be lonely, but she's not that desperate, you disgusting thing!"

Wizzro grinned. "I suppose you'd know, considering you and she were one. But tell me then, the boy excluded, would any hero do? As long as she had someone with that soul to call her own, would that make her happy?"

Lana looked flustered and angry. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Gyahaha! Oh, nothing, it's just so FUNNY! So DESPERATE and PATHETIC! No wonder they all prefer someone else, why would anyone ever love someone like-"

A consuming burst of purple flame abruptly tore through Wizzro, causing him to shriek in agony. Cia stood behind him, her expression murderous, her eyes wide and crazed. "That'll teach you, you traitor. I never should have restored your life to begin with… and now I'll take it away!"

"NOOOO! NOT BACK IN THE RING!" Wizzro wailed as his body rapidly evaporated until all that remained was the old ring he wore, which fell to the ground with a gentle thud.

Despite the battle raging, there was a resounding silence as Lana and Cia stared at each other. Young Link shifted uncomfortably, not sure if he should draw his sword or simply wait to see what would happen next. Suddenly, Cia spun around and began walking away.

"W-wait, where are you going?" Lana held out her hand, as if reaching for her other self.

"I need to end Ganondorf." Cia snarled back. "The Triforce is _mine, _he can't have it. I'll kill him."

"You don't have the Master Sword." Young Link spoke up. Cia slowly turned to face him. "You might be able to drive him away, but you can't kill him without the Master Sword."

For a moment, Cia looked confused. "I… I knew that. So why…Why did I think that I could…"

"Because the magic you're using is eating away at your mind, Cia!" Lana's voice quivered. "You're using your own life to feed your power. You can't go on like this!" She took a step closer. "_Please,_ Cia. Just-"

"SHUT UP!" Cia slashed her hand though the air. "I don't need you! The hero is by my side, and he won't abandon me!"

Young Link's face twisted in confusion until he noticed a Dark Link standing behind the Black Witch. Had she convinced herself that it was the real thing?

Cia took off at a speed faster than either Young Link or Lana could run, using her magic to propel herself and the Dark Link forward.

"No, wait!" Lana sprinted after her, Young Link at her heels.

"Lana… I don't think… I don't think you're going to be able to rejoin with Cia." Young Link tried to see Lana's expression, but she kept her face turned away from him as they ran. "I'm sorry, but I think she might be too far gone."

"There's still a chance." Lana said, not meeting his eyes. "She might still be able to be redeemed. We just need to chase Ganondorf away, and then maybe she'll listen!"

A loud roar tore through air, and Young Link and Lana staggered in surprised as Volga descended from the sky in and landed with such force the ground shook beneath their feet. "Oh great!" Lana wailed. "Are you working for Ganondorf now too?!" Young Link hopped back a few steps, holding his sword ready.

"As if I'd work for that _coward!_" Volga snarled, chest heaving. He was badly wounded, his own blood pooling at his feet, yet somehow he was still standing. "A coward who boasts being the strongest in the land, and yet when challenged, would prefer to hide behind his soldiers!" He sneered. "But I suppose this is an ideal opportunity for you weaklings, isn't it? The witch is an easy target, now that her mind is unhinged and Ganondorf is attacking. Pathetic."

"Actually, we're just here to drive away Ganondorf." Young Link said briskly. "Which means we aren't your enemies right now, so you should just let us pass. Okay?"

Volga looked startled. He glanced between the young hero and the White Witch. "…How strange. You actually mean it. Are humans really so fickle that they change sides in a war, just like that?"

Lana looked angry. "It's not like that!"

Volga threw his head back and let out a loud laugh. "You children are interesting! Very well. I'd like to see the look on Ganondorf's face when he sees that his enemy is ganging up on him, so I'll take you to him myself!"

"Are you sure? You're bleeding from like, everywhere!" Young Link protested. Volga snorted.

"Pah, this is nothing to a Dragon Knight! Now get on, before I leave you behind!" He transformed, and Lana and Young Link exchanged a brief, nervous glance before awkwardly clambering onto their enemy's back, with Lana tightly gripping a protruding spike and Young Link clinging to her.

As Volga took off into the air, Young Link grimaced. "I hope we aren't too late. This Ganondorf is so strong…"

Lana glanced over her shoulder at the boy. "You had to use that Fierce Deity mask once before, right? Was whatever you fought stronger than Ganondorf?"

Young Link shrugged. "It was less about it being strong and more about it being really evil. Ganondorf is a really bad guy, but he wants to rule the world, and to do that, you still need the world to be somewhat intact. Because of what he wants, even if he doesn't realize it, he'll probably always be holding back with his power. Majora didn't care about ruling the world or gaining power. It just wanted to "play", and to it, that meant destruction and suffering. So Majora never held back, and was a lot more dangerous than Ganondorf, even if it was weaker."

Lana stared at him for a moment. "You've really been through a lot, haven't you? Sorry I dragged you into this."

Young Link rolled his eyes. "Stop feeling guilty about everything! I'm not mad, and it's definitely not doing you any good." As he said this, he suddenly realized how hypocritical it sounded. After all, wasn't he the one who constantly berated himself every time his actions had unforeseen consequences? "Besides, there's no time for that, look!"

Below them, the battle was raging between Ganondorf and Cia. Surprisingly, Cia was holding her own against him, but her magic was clearly beginning to take a toll on her. "Back for more, you overgrown lizard?" Ganondorf laughed as he glanced upward, but stopped short when he noticed Volga's passengers, face darkening into a scowl. "When I said that you could theoretically team up with the witch, I meant it as a jest, Hero of Time."

"Well, if you don't want to fight again, you could just leave." Young Link said, stumbling as he hopped off of Volga's back. Lana ran to Cia's side, reaching out to grab her arm.

"We're here for you, Cia! Together, we can beat Ganondorf!" She looked desperately hopeful as she said this, but Cia simply glared.

Ganondorf let out a loud sigh. "How irritating. I thought I had separated the two of you permanently… Are you really that desperate to return to your former self? It's-"

"Surprise attack!" Young Link cried triumphantly, slamming a hand on the ground. A burst of Din's Fire flew at Ganondorf, which he managed to knock away just in time.

"Hero of Time, did no one ever explain to you how rude it is to attack an enemy before they've finished speaking?!" Ganondorf growled.

Young Link placed his hands on his hips. "A true warrior doesn't waste time with words!"

"Well said, boy!" Volga roared, bolting forward and striking downward with his spear. Ganondorf dodged away from the blow, but unfortunately for him, moved directly into a blast of magic from Cia. Ganondorf whirled to face the witch, a furious expression on his face, but Lana began an aggressive barrage of magic attacks, forcing him to backpedal.

As Young Link watched the onslaught, he noticed that Ganondorf seemed to be taking special care not to allow any blows to fall on his back. _Is he really still injured from the Master Sword?! _Quickly, he rummaged in his bag and donned his Deku Scrub mask, yelping in pain as his body mass was abruptly condensed. Shaking his head to clear it, he dove into the fight, taking advantage of his decreased size to easily dodge not only Ganondorf's attacks, but friendly fire from his tentative allies as well. Sliding around the giant Gerudo man, Young Link tore off the mask and, as hard as he could, struck him with the Gilded Sword.

The effect was immediate; Ganondorf let out an earsplitting roar of pain. Swinging his leg around, he delivered a powerful kick to Young Link's stomach, sending him flying. As Ganondorf staggered, trying to catch his breath, Lana, Cia, and Volga lunged for him. A strangled curse escaped his throat, and, with pure rage in his eyes, he teleported away.

"Are you okay?!" Lana wailed, dashing to Young Link's side.

"That...hurt more than I expected." He groaned, curled in a ball with his arms wrapped around himself.

"You should take him and go." Cia's voice was cold. Lana froze and turned to look at her other half. She didn't look happy at all that Ganondorf was gone; in fact, she looked even more furious than ever. "Leave. Now."

"But… Why?" Lana whispered. Cia slammed her scepter on the ground, sending bits of rock flying.

"I didn't ASK for your help, you whiny little goody-two-shoes! I could have handled Ganondorf. I could have handled ANYONE! And I certainly don't take kindly to you bringing the hero along so that you could show off how _preciously kind _you are by wanting to save me!"

"That's not why I-"

"LEAVE! _NOW!"_

"Lana, we need to go." Young Link whispered. "It's not that she won't listen to you… she _can't _listen to you." Lana hesitated for a moment before, shaking, she bowed her head and teleported the two of them away.

They landed in the castle courtyard, which was completely empty. It was now very late at night, and the crickets were chirping softly. They sat in silence together, Lana trying to compose herself and Young Link trying to catch his breath. Finally, when he could speak again, he peered at her and said quietly, "So, it only just occurred to me, but we're going to get in _so_ much trouble for this."

Lana let out a burst of shaky laughter. "Yeah, I didn't really think about that either, to be honest. Goddesses, Impa will kill us, won't she?"

"Ghirahim will lecture me for hours."

"…Maybe we just shouldn't tell anyone." Lana said, staring at her hands. "Cia is…beyond saving. I can see that now. But I think that if everyone knew about what I just did, they wouldn't trust me anymore. And I really, really want to help. It's the least I can do, you know? So, do you think-"

"It's a secret to everyone." Young Link smiled reassuringly. "And if anyone asks, I'm hurt because I fought a bear."

Lana laughed again, but this time it sounded much more genuine. "A bear? Seriously? Who'd believe that?"

Young Link grimaced. "Ugh, you're right. Any other ideas?"

Lana looked thoughtful. "How about you and I were out training, and one of my magic cubes hit you? More realistic, and that way I can corroborate your story."

"Okay, that sounds good to me!" He hopped to his feet before stumbling. "Ow, ow, my ribs…Well, I guess I'll go… sleep some more."

Lana smiled. "Have a good night."

"Yep, you too!"

As she watched Young Link head inside, Lana sighed heavily. What a disaster the evening had been.

"Something troubling you?"

Lana leapt to her feet. "OH! Princess, y-you surprised me!" Zelda simply looked at her, arms crossed and wearing the face a mother might have after catching her child taking an extra cookie. "I… um… how long were you standing there?"

"Awhile. I was looking for you. I went to your room because I wanted to apologize for what happened today. I shouldn't have embarrassed you by reprimanding you in front of everyone."

Lana hesitated before scuffing her feet on the ground. "No, you were right. Cia doesn't want to be saved. And I can't force her to rejoin with me and become good again. I should have listened to you, Zelda, but I was so upset I wasn't thinking straight. I really messed up, and I put Young Link in danger too-"

Zelda held up a hand, stopping the flow of words. "You don't need to explain anything, Lana. I trust you, and I know you didn't mean harm. I just have one very important thing I want you to consider."

"What's that?"

Zelda looked straight into Lana's eyes with a serious expression. "Do you still want to be a part of this war? The strain of it is taking a great toll on you. You are a valued member of the army and it would be unfortunate to lose you, but we will all understand if you choose to withdraw."

Lana shook her head quickly. "No, no, I need to be here! I need to make up for what's happened-"

"But you don't. Cia started this war, not you. You don't owe us anything."

Lana twisted her hands, not sure how to articulate what she felt. "I know that, but… I _can _help, so I feel like I need to. And I appreciate that you're worried about me, especially after the stupid stunt I just pulled, but I'd be miserable if I was just sitting alone somewhere while you are all out risking your lives for the good of Hyrule."

"Are you certain?" When Lana nodded, Zelda looked relieved and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad. I would have missed your company had you chosen to leave, Lana." She glanced at the sky. "Anyways, we ought to rest for the night. Goodnight, Lana." She started to walk away, but paused and adopted a joking tone of voice that Lana had never heard her use before. "Oh, and as far as what you did… consider my lips sealed."


	21. Chapter 21

As the morning light filtered through the windows, Princess Zelda paced back and forth, hands twisting with anxiety. Impa leaned against the wall, staring at the floor in contemplation. They had a heavy dilemma weighing on their minds.

"There is no denying the heroes have fully recovered." Impa said quietly. She cast a glance at Zelda's balcony window. Outside in the training yard, the heroes were sparring against each other, each displaying their remarkable and unique athletic abilities. "We spent a great deal of time waiting for that alone. Is waiting longer even an option at this point?"

"I know." Zelda's voice was a bit strained. The war was beginning to take a toll on the princess. Zelda was always one to err on the side of caution, and having to make decisions that could cost lives weren't easy to her. "But if we waited just a bit longer, perhaps the reinforcements will arrive. If we head out to battle Cia and Ganondorf also chooses that moment to attack, I'm not sure we will be able to fend him off again, especially now that he's had the time to gather an army."

"What about the Fierce Deity?" Impa watched through the window as Young Link flipped over Twi's head to whack his exposed back with his wooden practice sword. "He was able to stand against Ganondorf before. At the very least, he'll be able to hold Ganondorf off while we deal with Cia. You're letting your fears get the better of you, Princess. You need to be rational about this."

"I'm not…" Zelda began to protest, but her voice trailed off with a sigh. "You're right. We can't afford to delay any longer."

Impa chuckled as the heroes' sparring match rapidly devolved into a dogpile of flailing limbs. "And you're sure Lana is up for the battle against Cia? I'd hate to leave her behind, but we can't bring her along if she's going to be a liability."

"Lana will be fine. I've spoken to her, and she's determined to see this through to the end." Zelda sighed. "Poor girl. We'll essentially be killing what used to make her whole." She followed Impa's gaze and allowed herself a smile. "Look at them. You'd hardly believe they carry the hopes of several worlds on their shoulders… Or that they're from different worlds to begin with."

Impa, noting Zelda's melancholy tone of voice, cleared her throat. "Well, now that we've settled this, I was planning on doing some training. I can't afford to be stiff for the next battle. Perhaps you'd care to join me? Some fresh air will do you good."

"The air in the castle is hardly what I'd describe as stale, Impa." Zelda rolled her eyes good naturedly. "But… yes, I think you're right." She briskly gathered her long golden hair together and braided it, and Impa helped her don her armor. She wished she didn't have to go through the cumbersome process of putting it on when they would only be using harmless practice weapons, but the added weight was good for improving muscle strength.

Outside, the soldiers who were training bowed respectfully as Zelda and Impa approached. The heroes, broken practice swords strewn about nearby, were too engaged in their brawl to notice the pair.

"_So _unrefined, don't you agree, Princess?"

Zelda turned to see Ghirahim lounging on the grass, arms folded behind his head and wearing a bored expression. Zelda never really knew how to talk to the strange sword spirit. He was so polite, yet somehow rude and condescending at the same time. She had never dealt with anyone like him before. She smiled a social smile and shrugged. "Perhaps, but at least they're getting exercise."

Ghirahim smirked. "Ah, yes. I forgot that if you humans lounge about, your bodies become soft and weak. How inconvenient for you."

"And what about you? You feel no need to train?" Impa snapped irritably.

"Whatever for?" Ghirahim looked amused. "I'm perfect as it is, there's nothing to improve."

Impa was about to reprimand him when Zelda cut her off. "That's very true. I didn't get to see much of it, but your magic and swordplay are stunning. You've mastered the art." Ghirahim looked surprised at the compliment. "I wish I myself were half as talented as you are. Perhaps you'd be willing to spar with me so I could learn from you?"

Ghirahim stared at her for a second before bursting out laughing. "My lady, do you always use such flattery to get your way?"

"Nonsense. I have many negotiation tactics, this is just one of them." She smiled, and this time it was genuine. "Did it work?"

"Oh, very well." Ghirahim stood. "I was so bored I was about to drop dead anyway. I suppose this will service as a way to pass the time."

Impa tossed the two some practice swords, which Ghirahim examined with mild distaste, but he didn't complain. As they readied themselves, a small crowd of onlookers began to form. Impa was about to reprimand them for spectating instead of training, but she realized she was doing the exact same thing and decided to let it slide.

Ghirahim, enjoying the audience, smirked and beckoned for the princess to attack him. She lunged forward with surprising speed, but he managed to block the blow and launched a flurry of attacks, all of which she parried. He was quite surprised to realize that they were actually pretty equal in both speed and strength. Part of him was annoyed, but at the same time, it was a refreshing change from dealing with the incarnation of Hylia from his world. While that girl had been admittedly resourceful and quick on her feet, when it came to combat she had been next to useless.

As Ghirahim and Zelda wowed their onlookers with increasingly quick and complex swordplay, the heroes finally collapsed, exhausted from their match.

"I definitely won that fight." Link said, voice muffled due to him lying face down in the grass. Proxi plopped onto his shoulder, bemused.

"I'm pretty sure nobody won. I'd barely even call that sparring." She snorted.

"I'd disagree." Sky had also collapsed in the soft grass, but on his back instead. "With my tendency to lose my sword, hand to hand combat is an essential skill to know."

"Hand to hand?" Twi groaned. "You kicked me in the shins!"

"No he didn't, that was me." Link raised his head, sneezing from the grass tickling his nose. "Sorry, it's a habit of mine. It's not as bad as Young Link deciding that _tripping _me was a legitimate strategy."

"It was self-defense!" Young Link caught sight of the nearby crowd. "Hey, is something going on over- Oh, wow! Ghirahim and Zelda are fighting!"

"You serious?" Twi followed Young Link's gaze. "Wow. They're fast."

Link sucked in air. "KICK HIS ASS, PRINCESS!"

"YOU CAN DO IT, GHIRAHIM!" Young Link yelled at the exact same moment. Link turned and glared at him.

"Come on, seriously?"

"You're just mad because he totally beat you in the Sealed Grounds."

"…Okay, yeah, you got me, but to be fair, who wouldn't be? My legs were so sore after all of that sprinting _uphill!_ Besides, I had the upper hand when we fought. He only won because he tricked me."

"Oh yeah?" Proxi giggled.

"Yeah. My insults were much cleverer, too. Remember how mad he got when I told him his pants didn't count as armor?"

"I think he was just upset that you kicked him in the shin, actually."

"Some things never change, it seems." Sky laughed. "Well, Ghirahim may have changed a bit..."

Link cocked his head to the side. "You two have a history or something?"

"If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine!" Proxi added hastily. Link was getting better at talking to people, but he was still so tactless sometimes!

Sky waved his hand. "No, I don't mind. Ghirahim and I were enemies for quite some time back in my world. I used the Triforce to destroy his master and nearly ended his life in our final battle."

Link whistled. "Wow. It must have been really awkward travelling together, then."

"It wasn't a picnic for the rest of us either." Twi grumbled. "I'm glad he stopped trying to kill you with his glare. That was getting old fast."

"And now we're all best friends!" Young Link said happily.

Sky grimaced at that. "That might be a slight exaggeration. I'm pretty sure he still wants me dead."

Young Link looked a bit deflated at that, but fortunately, the sight of Lana approaching distracted him, and he immediately perked up again, waving cheerfully at her.

"Hey, you guys!" She sang before catching sight of Ghirahim and Zelda's match. Her eyes widened. "Wow, they're really good! How long have they been fighting?"

"We wouldn't know. We only saw them after we finished sparring." Twi said as he began gathering the broken practice swords strewn around them. Sky immediately hopped to his feet to help.

Lana looked disappointed. "You were sparring?! Oh man, I wish I had gotten here earlier so I could have seen that! It must have been amazing!"

"I think that'd be the last word I'd use to describe it." Proxi bobbed in amusement. "Don't worry, you didn't miss a thing. Are you here to train, Lana?"

Lana grimaced and shrugged. "Midna and I were going to practice our magic, but either I'm early or she's late." Her sentence ended with a little gasp as Ghirahim and Zelda's practice swords loudly snapped into pieces underneath the pressure. Ghirahim irritably glared at the broken hilt in his hand, but Zelda just let out a breathy laugh, hands on her knees.

"I suppose we'll call it a draw, then?" She asked.

Ghirahim sighed loudly. "Oh, very well. I insist we have a rematch some other day, though."

Lana and the heroes pushed their way through the dispersing crowd. "You guys were awesome!" Proxi sang, circling them. "We'll win this war for sure!"

Ghirahim was annoyed at the fairy's optimism. Had she forgotten that he had been swept aside by Ganondorf almost effortlessly? If he and Zelda were equally matched, then Ganondorf would be able to defeat her just as easily. He was about to voice his irritation when he noticed Zelda's serious expression and decided that maybe now wasn't the best time for a quarrel.

"I have something important to tell you all." She met everyone's eyes, but her gaze lingered on Lana. "I will make a formal announcement about this later today, but I thought you should know that we are going make for the Valley of Seers as soon as we can ready the army."

"I thought we were waiting for reinforcements?" Sky looked concerned. Zelda mirrored his expression, but shook her head.

"We're out of time, unfortunately. We must make our move before Ganondorf does."

"A risk, then." Ghirahim mused. "Nevertheless, I agree that this is the right choice to make."

Zelda glanced about, measuring everyone's expression. When nobody seemed vehemently against the news, she nodded and politely excused herself. As she and Impa began their usual practice routine, they all exchanged glances filled with varying degrees of worry. Twi nudged Ghirahim and spoke in an undertone. "You've been in wars before, right? You think she's making the right call?"

"I wouldn't have voiced my approval if I thought otherwise." Ghirahim crossed his arms. "It may be messy and unpleasant, but that's war. Lives will likely be lost because of this decision, but many more would die if Ganondorf managed to get his hands on the Triforce of Power. Besides, don't forget we have Zant as a backup as well." Twi grimaced at that, but he didn't argue.

"Hey, Lana." Lana looked startled as Link addressed her. She had been staring down at her feet, trying to not let her apprehension show on her face. "You'll be fine." Despite his usual tactlessness, Link wore a genuine smile, and Lana desperately tried not to blush. She quickly looked away.

"Aw, Link! That was very nice of you to say!" Proxi happily praised him. "The delivery could use some work, but hey, it's the thought that counts!"

Lana felt her cheeks begin to burn, but to her relief, she saw that Midna had finally arrived and was looking for her. "Midna's here, I'll see you guys later!" She spoke quickly over her shoulder, already running towards the Twili, wondering if she and Link had, perhaps, become friends after all.

.

.

.

The march to the Valley of Seers was a deeply unpleasant one. Midna, Lana, Ghirahim, and Young Link all had the power to teleport, (although the methods varied greatly, from Young Link's Farore's Wind to Midna's portals of twilight) but even working together they wouldn't be able to move a whole army, so there was no choice but to walk. The wind was blowing fiercely, kicking up a massive dust storm and making it hard to see. At one point, Zelda pulled out the Wind Waker and attempted to use it to calm the storm, but the baton had apparently still refused to accept her as its master and did nothing at all to aid them. Young Link managed to quell the wind by playing the Song of Storms on his ocarina, but the song's power had a short duration, so he had to keep playing the tune over and over again to keep the sky clear. By the time the Valley of Seers was on the horizon, an entire day had passed and it was now dusk. Everyone was tired and fighting off the irritability that came with hearing the same song all day.

"Princess, I think it may be best for us to camp here for the night." Impa said, her voice somewhat hoarse from yelling out orders since dawn. Zelda, who had been eyeing the Wind Waker with mingled frustration and disappointment, nodded quickly.

"I agree." She said dryly. "I doubt I'm a match for anyone right now, let alone Cia. You don't think we'll be spotted?"

Impa glanced about, taking in their surroundings in relation to Cia's refuge. "We're behind a hill, so I believe we should be safe. We can't light any fires, though." Zelda nodded again, and Impa relayed the orders to the soldiers. There was a bit of grumbling at the fact that campfires weren't an option, but it was warm enough that it wouldn't be a serious issue as long as they managed to make camp before nightfall when it would be too dark to see without its aid.

As Impa informed everyone that they wouldn't be fighting Cia until dawn, Ghirahim rolled his eyes. _Of course, let's all take a nap, shall we? It's not as though we have anything important to do._ The sword spirit had been in a bad mood since this morning when he realized that there was no way for the army to be teleported to the Valley of Seers and that they would all have to walk. It would have been bearable if he could have just teleported there on his own and waited for the humans to slowly inch their way to him as he rested comfortably, but the sky child had poked a hole in this plan almost instantly.

"I hate to be the one to say this, but… Suppose you were spotted when you teleported to the Valley of Seers." The sky child had looked him straight in the eye, something he rarely did. Ghirahim had found himself almost unnerved. "You have no way of knowing ahead of time if the area you choose to appear in will be patrolled by Cia's soldiers. If you were caught, our element of surprise would be entirely forfeit." Ghirahim had struggled for a response, stumped by the fact that the sky child was actually right. Flustered, he had made a dismissive noise in the back of his throat and stormed off, refusing to admit out loud that his idea had been a very bad one.

_Perhaps the little one is wearing off on me. _He thought as he glowered at the bedroll he had been provided. This whole adventure was really teaching him the true value of a soft bed. Just as he was telling himself that there was no way he could fall asleep on something so uncomfortable, he drifted into unconsciousness.

It felt like only seconds later that Ghirahim was sharply jolted awake by the frantic yelling of the soldiers. Young Link, who had been curled up nearby, sat up looking angry and confused, but his expression quickly shifted to apprehension. "An ambush?!" He asked, wobbling to his feet.

Ghirahim tore open their tent flap and was greeted with pure chaos. It wasn't just any attack, it was Volga, who was setting half the camp on fire. Soldiers stumbled about, coughing from the smoke or clutching at burns. "Of course we were spotted!" Ghirahim snarled. "How stupid of us, they have a dragon on their side! Hiding behind a hill means nothing when the enemy patrols can _fly!_"

He and Young Link threw themselves out of the tent just as Volga lit it ablaze. Rolling to his feet, Young Link drew his bow, aiming an arrow at the fearsome dragon. Before he could let the arrow fly, a Dark Link leapt out of the billowing smoke and swung at the hero. Young Link yelped and jumped out of the way. The arrow landed harmlessly at his feet. Ghirahim gritted his teeth and summoned an array of daggers, hurling them at the Dark Link. The creature parried the attack easily. Young Link swung at it ferociously with the Gilded Sword, knocking its blade aside and enabling Ghirahim to plunge his weapon into its chest. As it dissipated into fog, the Dark Link simply stared at them with its soulless red eyes until its form had vanished entirely.

"That was creepy." Young Link stated matter-of-factly, not actually looking unnerved in the slightest.

"Little one, sometimes I worry about your mental state." His words were teasing, but Ghirahim's expression was tight as he eyed the wreckage that was the battlefield. Their army had been thrown entirely into disarray. The soldiers had no idea what to do, and the commanders were too busy fending off attacks from the powerful Dark Links to lead them. Ghirahim considered himself to be a cunning tactician, but in such a chaotic situation there was no way he could communicate properly. "I don't like it, but it seems the only way we're getting through this mess is if the two of us attempt to take care of the witch while her pawns are too busy focusing on the offensive to notice."

Young Link's eyes widened. "That sounds really dangerous."

"Indeed, there is a-"

"Awesome, let's go!"

Ghirahim scowled at the boy. "How have you survived this long with such bad decision making skills? No, never mind, we're wasting time. Come, we're going this way!"

Young Link followed, skillfully keeping up with Ghirahim. "I thought I was _your _master. Why do you get to pick which way we go?"

"Because I'm the leader. Did you forget?"

"Oh yeah…"

As they rounded a corner, they were startled to see Link, Sky and Twi in his wolf form, who had apparently had the same idea. Ghirahim, barely suppressing his fury, increased his pace to catch up with them. "And what exactly do you three think you're doing?! This isn't a covert mission if we all do the SAME THING!"

"How were we supposed to know that you thought of the same plan as us?!" Proxi protested. "There wasn't exactly time for a team meeting, you know!"

"Calm down!" Sky called back to them. Ghirahim noted with distracted irritation that the sky child ran faster than he did. "Reinforcements had just arrived when we left. Currently the enemy is being trampled to death by a giant spider, so there's a good chance that if we hurry, they won't even notice we're gone!"

Ghirahim was shocked. "They made it after all? Well, the princess is going to regret not leaving just a day later!"

"Guys! Wait! Wait up!"

They all glanced behind them to see Lana sprinting to catch up. She was out of breath, but she determinedly caught up with them. Ghirahim let out a steady stream of curses under his breath before giving up and resentfully shaking his head, accepting the fact that their attack was no longer a clever covert operation but rather a gang of overeager teenagers rushing headlong into danger. Aside from him, of course. And the little one wasn't technically a teenager. Or was he? He had forgotten how old the boy had theorized he was.

"Don't be such a grouch, Lana has the right to be here!" Proxi scolded. Ghirahim tried to shoot her a withering glare, but it failed due to her preemptively ducking into Link's hat to avoid it.

Twi's ears twitched and he skidded to a stop, barking urgently. The others stopped instinctively, and just in time as well, because the ruins that they had been about to run under violently exploded with magic, sending debris flying everywhere.

"What's the deal, Cia?! You can't have us if we're smeared into little green bits on the ground!" Link yowled.

"Gross." Twi, who had transformed back into a human, muttered under his breath.

Cia descended from the cloud of dust, looking positively deranged. "Your soul…" She rasped. "All I need is the hero's soul. Then it can be mine… forever…"

Link's face scrunched up in confusion. "Do we all have the same soul?" He muttered under his breath to Sky.

"Well, it would seem so. You all are reincarnations of me, after all."

"…So if she kills all of us, will there be multiple copies of the exact same soul, or will they fuse together to make one mega soul-"

"Link, this really isn't the time." Proxi's exasperated voice growled from the safety of Link's hat.

"Yeah, and it doesn't matter, because there's _no_ _way_ we're losing!" Young Link said confidently. The moment he said this, Volga landed with a mighty thud behind them, regaining his humanoid form and glowing with power. "Oh, come on…"

Volga rushed at them with his spear raised as Cia began launching a barrage of magic. Ghirahim blocked the dragon knight's attack, instantly noticing a change from their previous battle. Ghirahim grinned. "Well, well! I didn't know you were so _weak _that you needed a handout from the witch, Volga!"

"What?!" Volga snarled, furious. "You'd dare to call me weak, you traitor?!"

"Ugh, for the last time, I was a double agent, not a traitor. Those are very different things." Ghirahim teleported a small distance away, launching daggers. He struggled to keep his face from betraying the fact that Volga was currently much stronger than he was. The last thing he needed was for the dragon knight to gain a boost in confidence. "As for being weak, you clearly are if you can't even face me without the witch lending you her powers!"

Volga's face contorted. "Arrogant little jester, you think I NEED-"

"Jester?! _JESTER?!" _Ghirahim was outraged. "I WILL RIP YOU INTO _SHREDS!"_ Forgetting his plan to trick Volga into rejecting the witch's magic entirely, he transformed into his true self and threw himself at his opponent.

"Sounds like that fight is going just swell." Link quipped as he dodged another magic blast.

"Will you act serious for once?!" Twi growled. "We're fighting for our lives, here!"

"Sorry, it's a coping mechanism for when I'm panicking."

Cia let out a cackle as she launched wave after wave of magic. Lana bit her lip hard. She knew it was futile to try and reason with her at this point, but it still hurt her heart to see _herself _so far gone. Shaking her head desperately to clear it, she blasted several magic cubes at Cia. Cia easily knocked them all away, but it gave Sky a chance to launch a skyward strike. The powerful beam of light hit Cia square in the chest, denting the little armor she wore and knocking the wind out of her. Everyone rushed forward, hoping that the battle was over, but Cia hastily summoned even more Dark Links, who slashed at her startled attackers. Sky flinched as several of the Dark Links ganged up on him in retaliation.

"Drop, sky child!"

Without thinking, Sky threw himself to the ground. Volga's body whooshed over his head, knocking over the Dark Links like bowling pins. The dragon knight groaned. Sky shot Ghirahim a grateful look and hurriedly finished off the Dark Links.

Cia, who had staggered to her feet, was still launching magic attacks, but they had weakened greatly, and her body movements were slow and unsteady. "Cia, you've lost!" Lana cried. "You don't even have enough magic left to teleport! Just give up, _please!"_

"No… I won't… I'll never…" She gasped raggedly. Suddenly, the magic glow that had surrounded Volga faded. The dragon knight crumpled to the ground, no longer able to survive the wounds inflicted on him without her power. "NO! No… I'm not alone. The hero is by my side. The hero is…"

"Cia, DON'T!"

Cia ignored her, attempting to summon another Dark Link, but her body was at its limit. She collapsed with a wail. Lana slowly approached her, looking distraught. The heroes hesitated, looking at each other with uncertain expressions. Ghirahim, exhausted from his fight, returned to his normal form, watching the scene unfold quietly.

Lana carefully cradled Cia's head in her arms. "How can you stand it?" Cia whispered, tears running down your face. "Knowing you'll never be the one… Knowing that _she'll _always be there… how can you smile while still knowing that, Lana?"

Lana flushed. Link could hear every word. Oh well, it wasn't as if it were a secret anymore. "It's hard. It's really hard, but that's just how it is. You don't always get the person you think you deserve. You can't force someone to love you." She smiled a watery smile.

"…Always the better half. I wish I could let go as easily as you." Cia groaned. "But I guess it isn't possible for someone like me to rest in peace."

"Um…" Young Link stepped forward, looking hesitant. He clutched his ocarina in his hands. "I can't stop you from dying, but… I have a song. It, well, it might help a bit, and… um…"

"I'd love to hear it." Cia's voice was barely a whisper.

Young Link brought the Ocarina of Time to his lips and began to play a sorrowful, but somehow still comforting song. Twi recognized it as one of the many songs that they had howled to each other in their wolf forms in the cold nights during his own journey. The Song of Healing, Young Link had called it.

Cia closed her eyes as she listened, and for the first time, her face smoothed into a relaxed expression, without any seductive facade or lines of anger. "It's beautiful… Thank you." As the last note sounded, her body disappeared into a mist, and the Triforce of Power dropped into Lana's hands. Lana stared at it, not bothering to wipe the tears off her face.

"Hey, Young Link?" She said, stumbling to her feet. "Thank you for that song. I think it really helped her." She rubbed her face with her sleeve. "H-here. You should have this. You don't have any pieces of the Triforce, right?"

Young Link shook his head. "No thanks, you keep it Lana. That piece belongs in this world, so I shouldn't be the one to have it. Besides, I have-" He let out a startled yelp. He had pulled out the Fierce Deity mask to demonstrate with, but he was now staring at it in shock, mouth agape. The mask had changed. The painted on hat was now a deep shade of crimson, and it seemed to resonate with even more power. "Um… I have no idea how this happened."

Ghirahim leaned over his shoulder, frowning. On closer inspection, the intricate markings on the hat, barely visible to the naked eye, seemed to resemble the pattern Cia had favored. "Perhaps it has something to do with the song you just played? I thought I felt a rush of power just then."

Young Link's brow furrowed. "Maybe? When I had to play this song for people who were about to pass away before, they lent me their last remaining physical strength to help me in my journey. It's why I have those transformation masks."

Ghirahim scowled. "That Skull Kid said the masks contained souls. Was he lying?"

"Well, they used to, but when I defeated Majora they found peace and just left their power behind. Sorry, Skull Kid likes messing with people." Young Link winced. "This one still has a soul in it, anyways."

Sky placed a hand on his chin. "But why would she place her power within the Fierce Deity mask instead of forming her own? And more importantly," he gave Young Link a concerned look, "will this make it even harder for you to control that mask?"

Ghirahim grimaced. "How about we not test that? Little one, just don't wear it and we'll have nothing to worry about."

"There you all are!" Zelda had finally found her way to them. She was pale and bore a mild burn on her cheek, but aside from that she seemed fine. "Is Cia…?"

"She's gone." Lana's voice was steadier than it had been before, but she still wasn't meeting anyone's eyes. "Princess, I have the Triforce of Power. Do you want it?"

"Keep it." Zelda said without hesitation. "I can't think of anyone more worthy or capable of keeping it safe than you."

"How did the battle go?" Proxi asked hesitantly. Zelda's face darkened.

"We won, thanks to Agitha and Ruto's superb timing, but we lost many good soldiers today in Volga's initial attack." She turned, beckoning for everyone to follow. "Come, we have to head home. The war isn't over yet."

.

_AN: You've probably noticed that my upload speed has gotten significantly slower as of late. I'm really sorry about that, these last few months have been incredibly chaotic for me. Things finally slowed down this week, and I should be able to upload the last few chapters at a more reasonable rate._

_Also, a small edit; I decided to add to the characters who are featured in the story in the description. Just wanted to let you all know!_


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